Drowning claims the lives of around a thousand kids each year, along with several thousand adults. Here are some water tragedies that didn’t happen, thanks to the quick thinking and water rescues made by everyday heroes:

Pair Saves Two Kids & Their Father From Drowning in the Colorado River
Daniel Wright and Gaar Lausman were on a beach along the Colorado River in Utah when they saw a kayak capsize, spilling its occupants into the water, a 40-year-old father and two children, ages 8 and 10. Both children were wearing life jackets, but one of the children’s life-jackets had flipped them face down in the water (one of the reasons you should always make sure your child has the right type of life jacket for their body size and test them out ahead of time under safe conditions). Lausman hopped on his paddleboard and was able to rescue the two kids, while Wright arrived on a jet ski to rescue the father, who had been swept downstream and was nearly underwater. Thanks to their efforts, both father and kids managed to escape this close call with no serious injures.

*Guidelines on selecting a life-jacket for your kids.