E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSCLEVELAND -- An Ohio teacher who died after trying to save a 9-year-old student from Lake Erie rip currents is being remembered for her selflessness as investigators try to determine why children on a school beach outing were in the water before lifeguards were on duty.
Laura Recco, 46, of Seven Hills dove into the water about 10:30 a.m. Monday when she saw two students, including Diamond Harris, 9, being pulled under at Bay Village’s Huntington Beach, about 10 miles west of Cleveland, according to reports.
Recco pulled one student out but when she went back for Harris, currents and waves up to 6 feet pulled her under, too, the Morning Journal newspaper of Lorain reported.
"The way she died is the perfect display of how selfless she was," Angelica Gagliardi, the older of Recco’s two daughters, tearfully told WEWS of Cleveland.
Although Cleveland Metroparks lifeguards weren’t due on duty until 11 a.m., Christian Pesarchick, 19, of Avon Lake was setting up and jumped in to try to save Recco and Harris, but he got into trouble in the water, too, NBC station WKYC of Cleveland reported.
About a half-dozen other lifeguards and passerby Clint Kranes, an Elyria resident and Navy veteran, and another teacher eventually pulled all three out of the water, WKYC reported.
The three were sent to St. John Medical Center. Pesarchick was released Monday. Harris was transferred to Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital and was released Tuesday, the Morning Journal newspaper of Lorain reported.
Recco died Wednesday morning, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
She was one of four teachers who came with Harris and four other students on the annual beach outing for the private nonprofit Positive Education Program, which serves 2,500 Cleveland-area children with special learning needs, WKYC reported.
Why some children and adults ventured into the water before the beach was officially open and with dangerous conditions on the lake is being investigated by both Metroparks Rangers and by the Positive Education Program, WKYC reported.
Gagliardi described her mother to the Morning Journal: “Best teacher. Best mother. Best grandmother. Best friend. None of those things even touch the surface of the woman my mom was and the woman my mom raised me to become. She was strong and respected and put everyone else before herself.”
PEP would not comment to msnbc.com or other news organizations.
On Wednesday it issued a statement: “Laura was one of our very finest teachers. Uniquely skilled at helping children build competencies, she was committed to helping every child know some joy in each day. She was deeply respected by her peers and was honored as PEP Hopewell’s Teacher-Counselor of the Year in 2006.”
The veteran teacher also leaves behind her husband, Frank.
Msnbc.com's Jim Gold contributed to this article. Follow him on Facebook here.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Supreme Court upholds health care mandate | Stolen Valor Act struck down
- Miss.'s only abortion clinic sues over new law that could shut it down
- Brother of lesbian teen shot in head: She's 'fighting'
- Lying about military service? These bloggers have you in their sights
- Army veteran campaigns to adopt Diego the bomb-sniffing dog
- Video: Teacher who slammed student in blog is fired
Leave a Comment:
The fact that Ms. Recco lost her life while trying to save others says it all. My heart felt sympathy to her loved ones and everyone who knew this remarkable woman.............
An example of someone that was in over their head.
What a brave and selfless woman, would that we could have more people like her. My sincere condolences to her family and friends.
to Thinker - a$$hole!
From about 8 yrs. old until my first year of college I'd spent the majority of my summers on Lake Erie; had my own little aluminium w/outboard by 12, wheel and steering on 16 footer for skiing by 14. Out by Marblehead, I'd occasionally felt somewhat of an undercurrent by many had told me they really didn't happen on Erie. Later I'd told my parents and they said there definately is at times, why didn't I ever say anything?
Moreso in recent years there's been more drowings in group times both in the a.m. and p.m. . Perhaps it's time to post signs of the times a swimmer is at risk, as where I was it was rare to see any lifeguards and none were hired except during height of vacation season. Not all areas of Erie beaches even have them, and those that do tend to have people looking for the end of the beach where there aren't any.
RIP to Laura
Sounds like a hero to me.
Yes.
wow...a completely selfless act of bravery. Rare to find these days
senseless death. if these kids had special needs they may have ran into the water due to excitement, etc. why these things happen .... ???? tragic. condolences to the family.
Obviously someone not very educated on proper rescue techniques. Going in is the last resort.
another a$$ comment from Thunker...
War1450's comment is typical of an ill-informed Internet Bozo. The thinker is 100% correct. How many news articles does one have to read where a struggling swimmer took down their would be rescuer will it take for a little common sense to set into War's head? It takes 2 seconds to use google to discover that going in the water in an attempt to stop someone from drowning is very dangerous.
Try to remember that she was a teacher, not a lifeguard. The fact that she risked her own life despite not being properly trained to rescue swimmers shows what a brave woman she was. I think people who would write snide comments about her are the kind of people who wouldn't have had the courage to actually try to save someone if placed in a similar situation. I for one am glad that there are still people in the world who will risk everything to help others.
Wow, so sad! Wonderful that she didn't hesitate to save the kids! Remarkable that both kids are OK. She accomplished what she wanted to do - to save the kids. My condolences to her family. Her family should know though that she would have been proud to know that the kids were saved.
you never know who a hero is until there is a need. RIP.
Only 7 comments? Only 7 people besides myself commented on the absolute bravery of this woman? The world is a worse off place without her in it, because her courage is a rare gift. Maybe if we find a way to blame this on the Democrats or Republicans, more people will learn of this true hero's sacrifice.
It was indeed a selfless act. Which probably makes it impolite to ask the question, "If she was a teacher, and the child was a 9-year old student, who was supposed to be watching the students to make sure they didn't venture into the water?"
Too bad, but lesson learned here. You always have to look out for number 1. That's what I do. Don't play hero, or put yourself at risk no matter what.
So you'd let a child drown. Well... that's great. Please don't have any yourself.
Chirs150, I hope you remember that exact thought if/when you're ever in a situation where you need saved. I hope your would-be rescuers (or firemen, police, paramedics) say, "you know, self preservation is key here...I think I'll just sit this one out." How could anyone live with themselves knowing they just stood there like a coward when somebody was dying and in desperate need of help? Your "looking out for #1" attitude is exactly what is wrong with our country today.
one first class lady. one first class ticket to heaven. the most honorable way to go. need more people with that much love for another human being. props to her and her hubby and family. she did good.
"Why some children and adults ventured into the water before the beach was officially open and with dangerous conditions on the lake is being investigated"
What's to investigate? If the teacher had lived she should be charged with child endangerment at best and more likely negligent homicide or manslaughter.
Idiots are born every day and you parents have no idea of the quality and manner in which your children are being supervised and educated....of course we will likely find out that these children were problem children with no parental supervision at home and they assulted or intimidated the teacher into not doing her job in keeping them out of the area.
Jello heads!
Real hater, you are.
sloppy joe don't need no stinkin' facts, he can just make them all up as he needs to fit his view of the world!
jello head!
Joe, the article does not say explicitly that these were her students. Perhaps they were, but for all we know from this story they could have very well belonged to another class, or even a different school.
Let's not jump to conclusions when we lack facts.
Why do we have to loose the good teachers like this and cant get rid of the abusive ones. Thank you to this teacher for being one of the good ones. To the Recco family - I'm sorry for your great loss.
The abusive ones wouldn't risk their life to save children.
Now c'mon - Don't you know teachers are greedy and only in it for the money? (Sarcasm MASSIVELY intended). All you teacher haters can shove it. This is the norm.Remember this the next time an article appears where your natural instinct is to bash those who dedicate their lives (or in this case give their lives) for children.
Thank-you teachers for all you do every day regardless of the ignorant opinions of those who don't know any better.
What she did was an amazing self sacrifice, but that doesn't change the political landscape.
The fact remains that unions work hard to protect teachers that harm our children's education and future. Watch "Waiting for Superman". Maybe it'll open your eyes.
In DC they were offered 6 figure salaries in exchange for an easier process of getting rid of poorly performing teachers. The union wouldn't even allow it to be voted on.
No one claims that teachers are greedy and only in it for the money. There are a great many teachers that have the greatest intentions, but are just bad at their job. They want to keep their jobs and will do so at whatever cost. Unfortunately for us, that cost is our children's future.
Again, what this teacher did was amazing. That, however, doesn't change the fact that some teachers just aren't good at teaching.
Having grown up on the Great Lakes this story is about stupid. #1 you do not go into the water when the waves are at or above 3 feet. #2 If this is a controlled beach you do not go into the water with children before the lifeguard is on duty. #3 Stupid kills.
This was on Lake Erie... with six foot waves... This was not the ocean people... Although Lake Erie is huge, it takes nature a lot of enerfy to create 6 foot waves on a lake... I'd have to side with 'this was a bad idea to go swimming'. I picked up my WSI certificate years ago and grew up near the Atlantic and an avid boater. I'd like to hear more of the facts but this story leaves important information out.
They don't call it RIP current for nothing.... R.I.P teacher.
People who don't live on or near the Great Lakes have a difficult time comprehending the power of the largest bodies of fresh water on the planet. While seeming placid, rip currents and deep water can make the Lakes very dangerous. Michigan and Superior are true inland seas capable of producing huge waves, long fetch winds and very dangerous currents. Never, never underestimate the power of the Great Lakes.
If you guys like the Great Lakes so much why don't you just marry them!!! Burn!!!!
Oh, oh, Lake Michigan, smooch, smooch smooch. Travis, you crack me up...
Ya can't fix stupid..The teacher bravely went into the water to save kids who should not have been in the water in the first place. Sad that she died, BUT where was the supervision that was needed but definitely lacking?
Regardless of what led to the kids being in the water, this woman gave all to save their lives. Would that there were more like her and less like some of the commenters in this thread.
I think you have made the worst comment in this thread because you have essentially wished death upon others.
Actually, I didn't. What I said was that I wish there were more people inclined to help others instead of being rude to them...but whatever.
The author of this piece seemingly doesn't know the difference between an undertow and a rip current. A rip current is not responsible for "pulling someone under". Their inability to swim well does that as the rip current takes them out to deeper water. If caught in a rip current, you swim parallel to the shore and try not to panic.
An undertow is a strong current under the water flowing in a different direction than the surface.
I live next to Lake Michigan and everyone gets these events confused. There is a small creek that can create an undertow while near the pier you will find rip current effects. Generally poor swimmers will get caught in one of these and their ability to doggie paddle for 10 seconds in deep water doesn't overcome the 15-20 seconds it might take to counter a mild rip current.
If you see someone drowning, I'd most certainly advise you to not go in after them unless you can touch the bottom and have your head sticking out of the water where they are struggling or you're probably going to be taken down with them. NOT WORTH IT!!! Have flotation devices handy around water, folks.
@ Sammy...
Yes I was thinking the same thing but it didn't click before my first cup of coffee... I haven't heard of people being pulled under from a rip.. Must have been from the undertow.. In a rip, if tired, float on your back and yes, try to swim parallel to shore..
A wonderful person is dead because kids today don't listen to anyone.
The kids are dead because they don't listen to anyone. The "wonderful person" is dead because they ignored their own safety and tried to do something that can only be deemed "stupid".
But in the uber-PC world they have to be called heroes for "trying". What a joke.
This is a tragedy all the way around. I feel sorrow for the family's loss.
So I'm assuming the kid didn't make it either? It doesn't say so explicitly in the story as I read it. Once again, top-notch reporting msnbc!
this world needs more people like her
Why would someone save people when you can see their in trouble and know that you would be in the same situation. It's one thing to be a hero, but not stupid.
Then I guess you are against being the recipient of the services/protection of firemen, policemen and soldiers too?
This teacher wasn't stupid. She was selfLESS and a hero.
This teacher was not stupid for trying to save this kid. Someone WAS stupid for planning an outing with a bunch of kids to a body of water without proper safety personnel in attendance. That stupidity was made worse by letting the kids in the water (unless they ran in and didn't listen, always a possibility I suppose). Planning and forethought would have kept this whole mess from happening in the first place...
God rest Her Soul !