Amazing acts of bravery and altruism sometimes end up with the hero of the story in need of a helping hand.
That was just what happened when a young waitress leaped from a tall pier at dusk to save a drowning boy.
Hanna Pignato, a 19-year-old waitress at Joe’s Crab Shack, was working the rooftop evening shift on what started as just another Saturday.
Just before 8 p.m., she heard a woman frantically screaming. Hanna ran to a lower level to see what was happening.
She discovered a young boy was caught in a riptide and being pulled further and further from shore.
The eight-year-old boy was struggling to keep his head above water.
Realizing no one was in the water to save the boy, the frequent swimmer and surfer didn’t hesitate to attempt a rescue.
She immediately kicked off her shoes and jumped in the water. Sadly, in her rush, she’s underestimated the height of her jump and the depth of the water.
Hanna hit the sandbar from over 20 feet up and in only three feet of water. Her back and right foot shattered upon impact.
Even in excruciating pain, selfless Hanna amazingly started swimming out toward the boy. Her broken state just wouldn’t let her complete the job, though.
Beach safety officers and bystanders eventually saved both Hanna and the drowning boy. He’d swallowed a lot of water and was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Hanna, however, faces a long recovery for her broken bones. She has been ordered to bed rest for at least two months.
She doesn’t have insurance and will be out of work during her long recovery.
If you’d like to help this brave young girl in her own time of need, friends and family have set up a GoFundMe page to help cover her medical and living expenses.
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