t started with a loud boom.

That explosion came from a jet ski in the canal behind Thomas' Apollo Beach home. A mother and her young son were on board and were thrown into the water after the jet ski burst into flames.


"The explosion was huge, it shook the house," Thomas said.

Thomas took a dingy out to pull the woman and boy to safety. The child was scared but uninjured, while the mother showed several injuries.

"She indicates to me that she's hurt," Thomas said. "What I saw on her was a big gash on the side of her head and there was blood coming down from that, and then her arms were cut with scrapes."

Thomas and his neighbor were able to get the victims to dry land, and paramedics arrived moments later. Parts of the damaged jetski also caught part of a dock on fire. Neighbors used fire extinguishers to put that fire out.

"We go out and cover these stories all the time and we find the most unlikely people running to save the day or doing this or that, but you never expect it to happen to you," Thomas said.