Matt Brewster and his daughter, Ali, recently took a fishing adventure that will last a lifetime. The two spent their spring break on Headwaters Lake, a 10,000-acre manmade lake in Fellsmere, Florida – one of the best fisheries in the country right now, according to Brewster.
BERMUDA, La. – Seconds to spare.
That’s all fishing buddies Brock Newcomb and Tyler Dauzat had when they saw an elderly man’s car sink into a Louisiana river last Saturday. Their swift actions prevented a likely drowning, according to authorities.
The two men, both in their 30s and from nearby Rapides Parish, may have left their fishing tournament empty-handed that afternoon, but they walked away with a victory far greater than any prize: they saved a life.
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Two fishermen, Brock Newcomb and Tyler Dauzat, are being hailed as heroes after rescuing an 80-year-old man from his car as it sank into the Cane River in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana.
(Courtesy: Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office)
“What Brock and Tyler did was nothing short of heroic,” Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright said. “They risked their own safety to help a stranger in need, and without their intervention, the outcome could have been much worse.”
Newcomb and Dauzat were fishing on the Cane River near Bermuda when an 80-year-old driver veered off Louisiana Highway 494, down an embankment, and into the 12-foot-deep water. Deputies said the men initially mistook the sinking vehicle for a submerged boat but quickly realized it was a car. Without hesitation, they raced their boat to the scene.
Seeing the driver inside as the car began to sink, the fishermen yelled at him to lower his window. He complied, appearing disoriented and with a cut on his face. Newcomb and Dauzat struggled to free the man, whose feet appeared to be tangled.
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Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office shared an image of the rescue, captured by Lisa Casey.
(Lisa Casey via Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office)
Undeterred, they managed to grab the man by his belt and pull him through the window to safety aboard their boat. They quickly rushed him to a nearby boat launch, where he received medical attention before being transported to a hospital. He is expected to survive.
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Wright said local residents and law enforcement officials alike have expressed their admiration for the fishermen’s actions, emphasizing the importance of community and quick thinking in times of crisis.
For Newcomb and Dauzat, they remain humble about their actions.
“We just did what anyone would do. We saw someone in need and did our best to help,” the men told deputies. “We’re just glad we were able to get him out of there.”