14 July, 2017
"Each person had a different talent, [swimming] was my talent and my mission was to get them closer to the human chain", Simmons says. In the circuit took part even those who do not know how to swim. Some of them couldn't swim, Simmons said, but wanted to help and stayed in the shallows. Others stood in water up to their necks, waiting for Simmons and her husband to cover the last few feet so they could pass the swimmers to shore. She went looking for them and soon heard them screaming from the water that they were trapped by the current.
She tells CNBC that she made a decision to lead the rescue mission because she was the only first responder who said she could swim well. I owe my life and my family's life to them.
"These people were God's angels that were in the right place at the right time". Roberta's two daughters managed to get out of the water, but other members of her family, including herself, got stuck in the high tide.
All in all, the Ursrey family was caught in the riptide for 20 minutes. "What happens is, people either over estimate their abilities or they underestimate the power of that open water environment". At first, she thought it was a shark, but then quickly realized that the entire family was drowning. The group was far away from the shore so people began forming a human chain. In a selfless act, Jessica with other people present at the beach helped saved lives of people without thinking about their own.
She further added, "It was fantastic to see people from different races and genders come into action to help out strangers and those who didn't even know each other went Hand In Hand In A Line, into the water to try and reach them". According to CBS Miami, Jessica said: "These people are not drowning today".
She also mentioned about the careless attitude of the police officers present at the beach, who she says failed to offer any help at that moment.
What Simmons found at the end of the human chain, she said, was shocking.