To think she should have rescued her own child instead of raging at me?

[drowningyouout]

Name changed for this. Regular poster and don't want this attached to my normal user name.

Weather here crap, as everywhere, but warm enough so DS (7) and I don wellies and waterproofs and take a walk down the beach.

Wind and tide conditions are making it very rough and tide was mid height and on it's way in.

We see a mum, dad and their 2 DC's on some rocks - which as you imagine are wet and slippery.

Suddenly a wave crashes up to the rocks and one of their DC's (a lad of 6) slips and falls into the sea.

The parents are understandably in a panic and the dad starts to take the smaller DC back over the rocks towards the shore whilst yelling at the lad to swim to rocks and hold on.

I can see he's in trouble take wellies and waterproofs off yell at DS to stand back from water and go in to rescue him. The tidal conditions made swimming really difficult so I take the lad towards the rocks, calling for the mum to come help him up.

She starts saying she may slip, it's too near the water and can't I take him to shore. Out of breath and not wanting to waste it talking I get to the rocks and with great difficulty get the lad out. As I did this he slipped a bit banging his head and cutting it. I cut my shin quite badly climbing out myself as waves crashed me against the rocks.

Get to the beach and coastguard have arrived and called paramedics. (There's a beach watch thing right by where we were).

Anyway the paramedic arrive after a bit a said the boy needs to go to A&E as he has a head injury and they need to check his lungs. They dressed my shin on scene.

The boy got really upset saying he'd miss his friend party this afternoon - he was actually hysterical but I suspect it was more the shock. The mum looked up and said " well you wouldn't have had to miss it if that stupid cow had taken you to shore instead of throwing you onto the rocks"

I was quite impressed with the coastguard who replied " what the stupid cow who most probably just saved your DS' life?"

AIBU to think she should have done something herself if the way he was rescued was such a problem.

I'm glad you were there & that you were willing & able to save the wee boy - it could have all ended very badly :(

Who knows what was happening (parents or not/swimmers or not etc) and she was incredibly rude, but that much of a fright can turn perfectly nice people into absolute bitches/bastards who are very regretful later on - I hope that's the case. Either way - there is one little boy out there who is very very grateful that you were there and sadly knows neither of the adults who were with him jumped in to save him!!

nah, just a mum who has to try and understand how the other mum was feeling. The only other option is that she really meant it - and I don't want to go there thought wise iyswim?

I think she may have been feeling guilty, defensive and embarrassed and felt the need to hit out at you.

OP be really proud of yourself,

you just experiences what most rescue people get on a daily bases, most are ungrateful gits,

but the nice thankful ones always make up for it, the child will know you did what you had to,

and it was the shock talking, it always is.

Hooray for you OP. I work in a coastal town and I know how quickly these things can happen - a wee boy was swept from the road into the sea last year. Sadly, you weren't there and he died.

In the end it's nothing to do with swimming - fall in the sea fully clothed and you are in real trouble.

Well done to you for being a hero. Surely she will burning with shame.
Or maybe she simply had no concept of how perilous a situation her child was in.

Either way you are a champion.

She was probably feeling guilty and took out the fact that she is a shit mother out on you.

Well done. You saved his life. You should be very proud of yourself.

OMEffeingG!!! You are a proper hero - she is an idiot! I suspect you bore the brunt of her frustration of her letting her son get into difficulties and her not being able to help him.

Much respect to you (ooh, its well past wine o clock here and imgetting all emotional at the though tof your bravery and general greatness)

Wow- this woman should be thanking you very profusely, and marvelling at her astonishing good luck that a trained lifeguard was on hand and willing to go and rescue her child. I agree with you- the charitable thing is probably to blame the shock /fear/guilt, but she shouldn't have said what she said. Was there any element of humour there? Not sure how to explain it really- kind of trying to bring a bit of light relief to a frightening situation? Because if she was genuinely angry words fail me.

She didn't say it agressively, more a shocked tone with an accusationary tone in there too. Hard to explain.

I suspect that she may have been internalising her own thoughts - perhaps she felt like a stupid cow for taking 2 young children on rocks when it was dangerous?
Who knows? I'm just glad no-one was seriously hurt or worse.

and

:(

What did you say to that?

I cannot write much now I am so shocked.

to you
[slap to the face] for the bitch of a mother you had to deal with

Well done OP, you probably saved a life today.

Hope you are having a clam relaxing evening and a well deserved rest (and a stiff drink).

For the car seat- thick towels, weighed down with something?

Calm!

Clams are the last thing you need!

Remarkable and wonderful.
I am iimpressed beyond words at your bravery.

That was an amazing thing you did. Well done.

You were absolutely right to get the child out the safest and fastest route on the rocks where his mum was to take him (shame she didn't manage it!) I'm sure that's what's behind her incredible response - guilt for her own stupidity.

Hope your leg is ok and heals quickly.

Well done you.
My husband volunteers for job that rescues people and they can be soooo ungrateful (a small minority of course). You just hope they go home and kick themselves (or someone else does).

inertia Just PMSL at that typo

Will this be in the news tomorrow? Air rescue usually is.

BlabaSos [shock[

Wow! Well done! You can feel amazing and your life is no so worthwhile for the fact you saved a child's life. The mum was in the wrong for what she said, but as you say she was probably in shock and feeling immensely guilty for not jumping in herself...

Well done!

So, let me get this straight. Neither parent made any attempt whatsoever to save their own child yet you are the stupid cow ?

The attitude of some people really is beyond belief