HOLLAND — A local man is being hailed a hero after rescuing five people from drowning at Balls Beach near Lake Ontario.
Brad Hilton, of Holland, his wife Liz and their children were on vacation near Niagara-on-the-Lake when they decided to go for a walk Saturday, Aug. 17.
According to Liz, as the family walked the beach, they spotted several families swimming but noticed they appeared to be in distress. They heard someone call for help, prompting Brad to spring into action.
“I watched him lift two small girls and a grown woman out of the water as he took a deep breath and went under himself,” Liz said.
Brad brought the three people to shore before heading back two more times to rescue other struggling swimmers.
Liz said the danger in the water stemmed from a dramatic sandbar about 20 feet from shore, causing the depth of the water to shift drastically from about 3 feet to 10 feet.
“The families, who couldn’t swim, had no way of knowing there was a sandbar there and no way of knowing the danger that would befall their children.”