TANDM Surf Ambassador Ex-Marine Stephen Houser was recording a YouTube video with his family while surfing on his TANDM Air and saw swimmer Gabe McCabe going under and used the TANDM Air as a life raft for the man who was losing the fight to stay afloat.
"With those currents it could have turned out really deadly and just having that inflatable board that I had, a really buoyant board, right when Gabe grabbed onto that board I knew I had him," Houser said.
"I've been in rip currents before too it's scary," he said. "Your first instinct is panic."
Houser and McCabe are now friends for life, which is special since Houser is responsible for saving McCabe's life when he was nearly swallowed in the rough surf. Thankfully the TANDM Air has multiple handles and allowed Houser to quickly paddle the board to the distressed swimmer and have McCabe take hold. The buoyancy of the TANDM Air bodyboard kept McCabe afloat as he was safely brought to shore.
"Steve definitely was the man at the moment yesterday for me," McCabe said. "I'm not sure if I would be here today, but thankfully I am."
"I was just in the right place at the right time," Houser said. "I'm just happy to have helped him and I think anybody in my situation would have done the same thing."
The full video of the rescue and aftermath on the beach is below which was captured by the TANDM Surf crew that happened to also be at the beach.
