Louisiana Shuttle Driver Heroically Rescues Three from Treacherous Waters
June 20, 2026
A Louisiana shuttle driver, Jordan Matthew, is being celebrated for his heroic actions after saving three people from a perilous rip current at Elmer’s Island Refuge near Grand Isle. Among those rescued were a young boy and two women.
Jordan Matthew / Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
The incident unfolded while Matthew was working at the refuge, having just finished dropping off a group of visitors from Oklahoma at a secluded beachfront area. As he made his way back, he noticed frantic gestures from beachgoers, signaling an urgent situation.
A young boy had become ensnared in a fierce current near Caminada Pass, prompting a nearby woman, seemingly a relative, to attempt a rescue. Unfortunately, she too got caught, along with another woman swimming in the vicinity. Alarmingly, none of the trio were proficient swimmers.
“They were bobbing under, the waves were crashing over their heads,” Matthew recounted, describing the harrowing scene. Despite lacking formal lifeguard training, he sprang into action without hesitation.
Matthew first reached the boy and moved him to a safer location. He then assisted the first woman back to shore and turned his attention to the second woman, who had drifted further out and was visibly exhausted.
He encouraged the third woman to remain calm to conserve her energy, telling her, “I didn’t want them to run out of energy, so I was like, ‘stay calm.'” Matthew’s focused approach allowed him to carry the fatigued woman over his shoulder back to safety.
During the ordeal, Matthew described a mindset of “absolute focus,” explaining, “I activated that in my mind, just locked in, and went one by one and went get them. I didn’t really have too many thoughts going.”
Thanks to Matthew’s quick and decisive actions, all three individuals were brought to safety before emergency crews arrived. While shaken, the rescued parties were unharmed.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries later acknowledged Matthew’s bravery, attributing the rescue to his quick and decisive response. In gratitude, the rescued family invited Matthew to join them for dinner, a small gesture for the gift of their lives.
