Lou Rosso went out to watch the fireworks on the Fourth of July, and came home a hero.
The way his wife Julie tells it, she was walking along Atlantic City’s beach with her grandchildren and family just before Monday’s fireworks, when she saw Lou, 70, jump into the ocean and start swimming, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
Julie told the paper that Lou was walking ahead of her, and didn’t say a word before plunging into the Atlantic, so she thought it was a little weird.
“I thought he was jumping in because he was hot,” she told the newspaper.
Rosso was not too warm, but instead, was headed out to rescue two children -- ages 10 and 12-years-old, emergency management officials tell the Press.
Rosso reached the children, who were about 100-yards off the coast, and held on to them to keep them afloat.
“We were nowhere close to safety, and I did what I could for the kids, but I was also swimming for my own life as I was taking in water, too,” Rosso said in an interview with the newspaper.
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After spending about 10 minutes in the water, the trio was rescued and taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center. As of Tuesday morning, the paper reports that doctors expect Rosso and the children to make a full recovery.
Local officials told the paper that Rosso could win a civilian award because he went above and beyond the call of an ordinary citizen, but Lou didn't seem too interested in recognition or awards.
“It makes me happy if the kids are OK,” he told the Press.
