She was floundering in the ocean. Then a young boy came to her rescue

By Laura Kwerel

Published August 12, 2024 at 5:00 AM EDT

Denise Elliott at 16 at the Bahamas home where her family was staying.

This story is part of the My Unsung Hero series, from the Hidden Brain team. It features stories of people whose kindness left a lasting impression on someone else.

Nearly 60 years ago, when she was 16, Denise Elliott brought a friend to the Bahamas for a vacation. The two teenagers were from Illinois and had never gone swimming in the ocean before.

When they got to the beach, they noticed that no one else was in the water, and that the waves were huge. But that didn’t bother them.

“We had seen in the movies people body surfing and having fun in big waves,” Elliott said. “And we thought that was great.”

The only person at the beach was a local boy who was walking by. As they took off their shoes and put down their towels, the boy, who was about 8 years old, stopped and stared at them.

"We thought it was kind of rude, but what the heck, he was just a little kid. So we ran into the water,” Elliott recalled.

But as soon as they got into the ocean, the two girls were overcome by a giant, powerful wave.

“I was completely helpless,” Elliott said. “Swirling around in this powerful water, choking on salt, water and sand.”

Elliott felt she was on her way to drowning. Just then, the young boy appeared. He pulled her out of the water and brought her to the beach. Then he went back to rescue her friend.

“We were coughing and sputtering and everything, and he just stood there for a minute, making sure we were OK,” Elliott recalled.

Then, without saying a word, the boy simply turned around and continued on his walk.

“I just was so amazed,” Elliott said. “He didn't stay around for praise ... He didn't ask for money. There were so many things he could have done. He had just saved our lives.”

Elliott has thought about the boy many times over the years, wishing there was something she could do to honor his act of heroism.

“I hope that he feels like a hero,” Elliott said. “I have had a long and really beautiful life, and that is all down to him. This one act of kindness and goodness. And I just wanted to thank him from the bottom of my heart.”

My Unsung Hero is also a podcast — new episodes are released every Tuesday. To share the story of your unsung hero with the Hidden Brain team, record a voice memo on your phone and send it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.