Tourist Rescues Young Boy at Horseneck Beach

WESTPORT — It was a scary moment in the waters of Westport's Horseneck Beach.

Westport Police say that on Thursday, July 25, around 7:46 p.m. they received multiple calls from witnesses at Horseneck Beach regarding a young male who had possibly drowned. Witnesses on the scene stated that an eight-year-old boy was pulled under the water several times by a strong undertow and was under for a number of minutes.

Upon arrival, the Westport Police and Fire Department learned that the boy had been rescued and brought to shore by a fellow beachgoer.

After speaking with multiple witnesses at the scene, police learned that Gabriel Roy, who was vacationing with his girlfriend from Sherbrooke, Quebec Canada had entered the water to rescue the young boy.

The eight-year-old boy never lost consciousness and was alert, however, given the seriousness of the event he was transported to Hasbro's Children's Hospital in Rhode Island.

The Westport Police Department would like to remind visitors at local beaches that if caught in an undertow to try and remain calm, try to control your breathing, float or tread water until you can swim out of the current or swim parallel to the shore to escape the current.