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AN UNKNOWN HERO

06 August, 2011 03:26:00 Eva Pierozzi

Photo by: Eva Pierozzi

We discovered this majestic area of Costa Rica nine years ago. Since then, we returned many times until last summer, when we vowed to make this our home for six months. It has taken time to learn the ins and outs, such as much-needed patience. I believe we finally have a solid grasp of how things work and the respect the ocean here deserves from its visitors.Our first encounter occurred one week after arriving. My kids had entered a surf competition and minutes before the event, a surfer lost control and her board hit my daughter’s forehead. Obviously, it was a traumatic experience for all of us. We were blessed in having a doctor nearby and her only needing 15 stitches without any brain injury. But not everyone is this fortunate.About one month ago there was a shark attack at Playa Grande. The horror began with several boys running frantically to the Taco stand, yelling for help. They found help there, a young man who instantly grabbed a towel and ran. Not only did he have to control the situation, but he also tried to administer what first aid he knew. From the start, luck was not on the side of the 15 year old boy who had been bitten and with the delay in emergency response, the situation led to a horrible and tragic ending.I had the privilege of meeting the gentleman I’m talking about. His name is Abner and he works at the Taco stand. He told me about how many lives he has tried to save (often putting his own at risk) in the powerful riptides that pull unsuspecting swimmers away, ignoring warnings while minutes later screaming for help. Some people would turn a deaf ear, but not Abner. It was shocking to hear this story, knowing how it feels to see your own child suffer a serious injury. I could only imagine the fear and horror suffered that day by the victim and his family. Abner helped paint a better picture of what occurred and it is plagued with the guilt of the many “what ifs”. Though his act of bravery went unnoticed, his spirit to help others continues. In fact, he shared with me his passion about getting more people involved to patrol these beaches and increase awareness.This article is dedicated to Abner, a young local, who despite his long curls, is a genuine person who has the compassion in his heart to help others. In times of crisis, many people freeze, either not knowing what to do, or simply not wanting to get involved. However, it is only a true hero who steps in and takes action. Sometimes heroes go unnoticed without ever hearing the words, “thank-you”, perhaps wondering why they bothered. But this story is to tell Abner how grateful I am, as a mother, that he has been brave enough and cared enough to step in many times. The ending may not always be a happy one, but destiny is not ours to decide. So “THANK YOU!” Abner and please don’t stop having that special gift inside your heart to want to help others. It is a gift called love- an unselfish, greater love for humanity. More people should be like you! (And by the way, I love your long curls!!!) “It’s not the critic that counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.”
Theodore Roosevelt