A West Palm Beach woman swam into a lake to save a man whose car had rolled into the water, and she said she got no help from the crowd on the bank until the final moments.
Residents first spotted the vehicle in the lake at about 8 p.m. Monday. Many onlookers pulled out their phones to record video. Annmarie Sanchez, a mother of three young children, dove in instead.
Sanchez said she did not know whether crocodiles or alligators were in the water. By the time she reached the car, it was fully submerged and the driver was struggling to stay afloat. She began pulling him toward shore, but she said the effort was too much for her alone.
Sanchez said about 20 people stood on the bank and none of them moved to help. She kept calling for assistance and said she was seconds from giving up when someone swam out to join her. The two got the man to shore safely.
On Thursday afternoon, the man, who introduced himself as Bill, came to Sanchez’s door to thank her. Sanchez said she hopes to stay in touch with him. She is also trying to find the woman who helped her in the water so she can thank her in person.
