A peaceful beach walk turned into a terrifying fight for survival when powerful waves knocked an Orange County woman off her feet, swept her into the ocean and left her suffering a cardiac incident.
Teresa Tran had met up with friends for a stroll along Aliso Beach when the group was caught off guard by the rough surf.
One wave knocked the women down. They managed to get back up — only to be slammed by another.
“They were trying to get up, and by the time they got up, a third one came out of nowhere, and they were knocked to their knees again,” Tran’s daughter, Amanda Trinh, told CBS LA.
Witnesses watched as the women struggled against the waves, prompting lifeguards to rush into the water.
Two of Tran’s friends made it back safely.
But by the time rescuers reached Tran, she had suffered a heart attack, according to Trinh, amid the terrifying near-drowning.
Lifeguards worked on Tran on the beach as a helicopter was called in to rush her to a hospital.
“She was still unconscious when they pulled her out so they were trying to find her pulse,” Trinh told CBS LA. “It was very faint and they flipped her over and that was when she vomited all of the water out and was able to regain consciousness after that.”
Tran was eventually airlifted to a nearby hospital.
Her daughter later recalled the horrifying final moments her mother remembered in the water.
“Her last memory in the water is that she just recalls not being able to fight anymore,” Trinh said her mom recalled. “She was just thinking I need to keep trying. I need to keep trying, but then eventually she kept swallowing so much water, and she just gave up.”
Trinh started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover her mother’s medical bills, describing the ordeal as “a frightening and unexpected experience for our family.
“We are so grateful my mom is alive and receiving care,” Trinh wrote. “If there is anything you can do to help contribute, please consider donating here. Your support will help our family cover the costs of her airlift, overnight hospital stays, and other expenses that insurance won’t cover while we focus on getting my mom healthy and home.”
On Aug. 20, Trinh said her mother had been discharged from the hospital and was “resting at home.”
The incident happened near where a 5-year-old drowned after being swept away by strong surf.
“She’s horrified,” Trinh told CBS LA. “I don’t think she’s going to be going near any body of water for a while now.”
