Recently workers at a Brevard County yacht club were honored for a daring rescue in the record rain weeks after Hurricane Irma.

  • Coworkers dove into storm-ravaged water to save driver
  • Driver is safe after driving into a canal at the Indian Harbor Beach

Oct. 1, 2017, is a night Janet Fannin, Dave Meredith and their co-workers on duty will never forget.

As record rain poured down on Indian Harbour Beach in the days after Hurricane Irma, a car plowed into the canal as they worked at the Eau Gallie Yacht Club.

Valets began yelling from outside after a 61-year-old woman had become disoriented in the parking lot in the downpour and drove right down the boat ramp into the storm-ravaged water.

They broke the window and swam her to safety. Paramedics rushed the woman to the hospital and is doing fine to this day.

However, what amazes these two co-workers is that when they were faced with a life-and-death situation, each chipped in as part of a team.

"I'm very proud of my coworkers," says Dave Roberts, long-time yacht club employee.

"I guess it was just something we were supposed to do. The time, the outcome," says Fannin, who dove in the water to help.

The yacht club employees were honored with lifesaving awards at Indian Harbour Beach Town Council meeting.

The other three heroes are Robert DeCoulaz, Vincent Guttadauro, Sarah Reinertsen and Samantha Santana.