She thought she was saving someone’s life (stock photo) (Image: Getty)
A woman was left humiliated after stripping down to her underwear in a bid to rescue who she believed was a drowning man – only to discover the truth about his identity.
The jogger had been running alongside Lake Jocassee, in South Carolina, when she spotted what appeared to be a person floating motionless approximately 40ft from the shoreline.
Fearing the worst, she bolted towards the water without a moment’s hesitation. Recounting the incident online, she said: “This dude looked dead – dead.
“He was facing away from me, his head tipped back, eyes closed, bobbing like a fishing lure. No one else was around, so I thought he was crazy out here scuba diving alone at the crack of dawn.”
Certain the man required saving, she kicked off her shoes, removed her clothing down to her bra and underwear, and plunged straight towards him.
She said: “I didn’t yell to check if he was okay. I just took off my shoes and stripped to my skivvies to save him. I was wearing contact lenses, so I swam hard in his direction with my eyes closed.”
However, upon reaching him and opening her eyes, she sensed something was decidedly amiss.
“He was staring at me like I’d lost my mind, so I blurted out, ‘Are you okay? ,” she added. “He took his regulator out and said, ‘Yes.'”.
Only at that point did she realise she had entirely misread the situation – recognising he was in fact a seasoned scuba diver.
“I turned to get the hell out of there, shouting over my shoulder, ‘I thought you needed saving!’ to explain my stupidity,” she said.
Matters became considerably more uncomfortable moments afterwards when another diver unexpectedly surfaced close by, followed by several others rising from the water – all chuckling at the confusion.
The initial diver courteously accompanied her back towards the shoreline, but the mortification wasn’t finished there.
Midway through the return journey, she recognised the swim was far more demanding than she’d anticipated and started finding it difficult to reach land.
The diver proposed towing her the remaining distance, but she declined.
“The beach was much further than I had anticipated,” she said. “I was trying to breathe normally while pretending I wasn’t completely exhausted.
“I joked, ‘You’re lucky you weren’t actually dying because it would’ve taken everything I had to drag your sorry ass this far.'”.
“He laughed before offering me a tow. I said, ‘Hell no.’ Even if I had to doggy paddle, I wasn’t accepting defeat.”
Upon reaching the safety of the shore, she learnt the group were recent military college graduates undertaking open-water training drills.
“They’d been out there at least part of the night,” she said. “I’m sure I completely ruined whatever drill they were doing.”
Still dressed in her sports bra and underwear, she attempted to stride confidently out of the lake before suggesting the divers join her for “an absurdly overpriced beer” – then promptly jogged back into the woodland to retrieve her garments.
Following the story’s reappearance on Reddit, readers were captivated by the uncomfortable incident. One joked: “I feel like there are probably easier ways to get a guy. A+ for effort.”
Another added: “Did they go the distance? Other than the distance from the regulator to the shore, that is.”
A third asked: “Merman and firefly, where are you at now?”.
One more said: “Military guys are notoriously easy to catch. He’s probably out buying the wedding ring right now.”
Stay safe in the water
The RNLI has shared their safety advice so you can enjoy the water without the risk.
- Plan ahead – Check the weather, tides and water conditions before setting off. Choose a safe location, swim with a friend and make sure you have the right equipment.
- Trust your instincts – If something doesn’t feel right, don’t get in. If you’re already in the water and feel unsafe, get out immediately.
- Ease yourself in – Enter the water gradually to help your body adjust and reduce the risk of cold water shock.
- Stay visible – Wear a brightly coloured swim hat and use a tow float so others can easily spot you.
- Know your limits – Only swim where you’re confident and avoid venturing beyond your ability.
- Remember to float – If you get into difficulty, float on your back to help stay calm until help arrives.
- Call for help – In an emergency, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.