A day at the beach sounds like the perfect way to escape the blazing summer heat, right? But for one mother from Massachusetts, a simple beach day turned into a scary situation she never expected. Now, she’s eager to warn others about the hidden dangers of the shoreline.
Heather Cassini, who’s still “shaking” from what happened, can’t believe how a fun day out with her 10-year-old son, Declan, took such a terrifying turn.
It was July 4, and Heather and Declan were at Hampton Beach in New Hampshire. The sun was shining, and Declan was having a blast playing in the ocean. But out of nowhere, Declan told his mom he didn’t feel well.
At first, Heather wasn’t too worried. She figured it was just the heat or maybe the waves and breakfast didn’t mix well. In a Facebook post that has since gone viral, Heather wrote, “I thought the breakfast was just too much for the waves, and he just needed to lay down.”
But as they started heading back so Declan could rest, things quickly took a turn for the worse. Declan became “disoriented” and stumbled into someone sunbathing nearby.
He managed to get back on his feet, but just moments later, he collapsed again.
“I was desperately trying to pick him up because I’m pregnant,” Heather told Today.com. “He was throwing up and kept passing out. He looked so pale—it was terrifying.”
A group of nearby women noticed what was happening and immediately jumped in to help. Paramedics arrived quickly and worked to keep Declan warm and alert while checking his vital signs.
“May God bless everyone who was around us,” Heather said, deeply grateful for the help. “There were so many nurses.”
After what felt like an eternity, Declan finally woke up and started talking again. “We got him to the car and waited for him to feel better,” Heather shared.
Later, doctors discovered that Declan had hypothermia, caused by the shockingly cold 52-degree ocean water.
“I had no idea this could happen,” Heather admitted. “You always worry about sunburns, dehydration, and all the usual dangers in the water, but cold shock? It never even crossed my mind.”
Declan’s quick recovery was a huge relief, but the experience left Heather determined to spread the word about the risk of hypothermia, even on hot summer days.
“Just a heads up to parents with kids who love the water and don’t feel chilly,” she warned. “Just because they can handle it doesn’t mean they should.”
Heather ended with a powerful reminder: “It never occurred to me that hypothermia could happen on a sweltering summer day! This is such an important message for everyone, not just parents.”
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