A woman who was struck by another surfer during a paddle out for Junior Seau thanked Oceanside lifeguards and paramedics on Wednesday for saving her life.
Diana Gibson suffered a cardiac arrest on May 6 when she was walking her board in waist-deep water and hit by a surfboard. She'd joined hundreds of people, including New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who all paddled surfboards and kayaks near Seau's Oceanside home in memory of the football player.
Lifeguards found her face-down in the ocean, but thanks to lifeguard’s quick response time, Gibson lives to tell the tale.
Alaina Dickens, a lifeguard of seven years, pulled Gibson out of the water that day and immediately performed CPR. Gibson regained her pulse and was awake upon the arrival at a local hospital.
Gibson was released from the hospital on Saturday and visited the Oceanside Fire Department Wednesday to thank the team for saving her from cardiac arrest.
“You guys being there was the miracle,” said Gibson to the lifeguards and paramedics on Wednesday. “I’m just so grateful for that.”
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