Do you believe in mermaids?
I bet most of us would say ‘no.’ They are fictional characters out of children’s literature or mythology, and one is even a Disney princess.
It’d be ridiculous to think that adults would believe they are real, right?
In California, mermaids are real.
Yes, they exist there… but in the form of humans.
Some are trained to perform, while others are trained as professional divers and rescuers.
They are more than just pretty, colorful tails; they are heroes.
The mermaids and certified professional rescuers saved three divers from drowning.
Elle Jimenez, Elaina Garcia, and Chin Burger were in the right place at the right time.
Elle is a dive instructor holding an advanced mermaid course, a certification course by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). Elaina and Chin were her students that day.
The class suddenly heard a cry for help.
A man diving nearby was calling for help for his fellow diver who passed out.
Elle and her class were in open water nearby, so they jumped in to help.
Only Elaina and Chin are certified for rescues in her class.
The trio swam to the divers in need.
Josh Claramunt was with his father and father’s best friend, Pablo Avila.
It was supposed to be a fun diving trip when Pablo suddenly lost consciousness, and his eyes dilated and needed immediate care.
Thanks to our hero mermaids, they made it out of the water.
Elle went out first and saved Pablo, who desperately needed help.
She performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on him.
Elaina noticed that Josh was starting to hyperventilate, so she helped him and his father out of the water to avoid any more emergencies.
On the other hand, Chin went on autopilot and assisted everyone to shore, ensuring everyone was safe.
Thankfully, everyone was safe and was given medical attention.
The trio never realized their jobs’ importance until they faced a rescue such as this.
“I’m proud of the way we handled the rescue. It was absolutely a team effort. I also feel a great sense of relief that Pablo survived, as I believe it’s rare to come back from needing full CPR to breathing, talking, and smiling,” Elaina told FOX News.
Inside Edition happened to reunite the mermaids with Josh and Pablo.
The team brought Josh back to Catalina to personally thank the mermaids that saved their lives.
On the other hand, Pablo was able to do a video call with the girls, thanked them, and assured them that everything was okay.
We bet Josh and the rest of the gang would tell the tale of how mermaids saved them for years.
The mermaids sure made their “school” proud with their heroic act.
Chin said that people don’t usually believe her when she says she is a professional mermaid, thinking it may be a joke.
Those people should learn by now that these mermaids have a great purpose out there in the sea.
“I hope this incident helps the mermaid community get the respect we deserve as well as show others that it is a serious sport,” Chin said.
Watch the full story and reunion in the video below!
