Collierville Cheerleader Saves Life

Lauren Winstead, a middle school cheerleader in Collierville TN, never dreamed that she would be spending her Fourth of July saving lives, but that’s exactly what happened on her family trip to Crab Island in Destin, FL.

The family had taken a boat ride to Crab Island, and they had almost reached land when the boat came to a complete stop. So Lauren, family friends Torres and Foster decided to jump off and swim the rest of the way to shore. It wasn’t until they were in the water that they realized how fast the current was actually going.

Before they knew it, the swift current had carried Torres 50 yards. Knowing Torres was still recovering from a broken rib, Foster decided to go after him. Lauren could see Foster was struggling to keep Torres head above the water. So she grabbed a buoy and headed down stream for them.

The trio ended up waiting 30 minutes for the Coast Guard to arrive to rescue them out of the water. They were able to hang on for so long, because of the buoy they were holding onto.

The men know they wouldn’t have survived if Lauren hadn’t come to their rescue with quick thinking and a buoy.

Once Lauren got back from her trip to Crab Island, she headed off to UCA cheer camp with her squad.

UCA wants to congratulate Lauren on her bravery!