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A Colorado man is searching for the surfer who saved his life. Retired Brighton, Colorado police detective John Grace was visiting San Diego, when he was injured surfing and nearly drowned, but was pulled out of the water by an anonymous Good Samaritan.
Grace was visiting San Diego on September 19, when the incident occurred. As he told Fox 5 San Diego, the city is a frequent getaway for him. “San Diego has always been a rinse and repeat place for me,” Grace said. “Whenever I’m going through trials and tribulations and just want to get my feet in the sand, it’s always been my go-to.”
He and a friend decided to rent some surfboards and try their luck at Moonlight Beach. However, John was thrown from a wave and went face-first into a sandbar, knocking him out. When he came to, he was face down in the water, with no control of his arms or legs – unable to turn over to take a breath. “I had an out-of-body experience of having to say goodbye to my boys and my family,” Grace described. “I really thought it was the end.”
Next thing he knew, Grace found himself being pulled out of the water by an anonymous surfer. John never saw the man’s face and only had a moment to thank the man, before he departed.
Once on shore, Encinitas lifeguard Tanner Fritts was first on the scene. Grace was stabilized on shore then taken to a hospital, where he remained for four days, having endured two fractured vertebrae in his neck and nerve damage. Though he has since been discharged, he still has a long recovery ahead of him.
Now, he’s hoping to find the man who rescued him.
“I want to thank you for allowing me to be on this earth with my family and my friends,” said Grace. “I love you for that already, and I want to meet you and thank you personally.”
