Bridgett Addison, Fort Myers, Florida woman who doesn’t know how to swim saves 11 year old autistic girl, Mia Garcia from alligator infested waters from drowning at Lakes Park

A Lee County, Florida woman has been hailed a hero after risking her own life to prevent an 11-year-old autistic child from nearly drowning after she fell into an alligator-infested lake.

Mia Garcia, 11, was collecting shells with her younger sister just after 10 a.m. on Saturday at Lakes Park in south Fort Myers, with her grandmother following closely behind. She slipped into the lake and was unable to get out due to the sticky water.

Bridgett Addison, who was at a nearby pavilion, heard Mia's screams and dashed to help, despite not knowing how to swim, according to WSAW.

‘When I looked over, I saw her in the water. So, I just ran,’ Addison told the outlet. ‘I was able to get her and sling her up, so she won’t be where the slimy part at to get her out of the embankment.’

Explained the frightened 11 year old girl, ‘I felt like an alligator was going to come swim at me and drag me in the water.’

 

Addison says she kept falling down while helping Mia and got skinned up in the process. Despite the difficulties, she expressed her willingness to help anyone in need.

‘I don’t care who they are, what color, what their disability. I don’t care. If you can do it, go and help somebody. That’s my only thing,’ she said.

Mia’s grandmother, Dawn Louchart, says she’s grateful for Addison’s actions.

‘It shows a lot that there are good people out there, and she is one of them,’ she said.

While the Good Samaritan‘s comments about being there for a person in need of help irrespective of their ‘race,’ ‘disability’ or ‘identity’ were seen in a positive context, the underlying suggestion alluded to the division, discrimination and prejudice in society, which was suddenly removed as a young girl screamed out for help.