Saw someone die today. Well I didn't "see" him, as the lifeguard truck drove past us I turned the other way. No need to see the tragedy first hand. Especially not with his family standing less than ten feet away.

They had come to the beach for fun and relaxation. A family of about four or five. 3-5 year old girl, her mother, her husband, his "brother" I am assuming, and another one or two more. Ended with the husband dying.

He apparently got caught in the undertow. The wife was screaming for the lifeguard to help him, but they didn't...or wouldn't. A surfer actually went out and brought him back in and by then the lifeguard had jumped into action calling 911 and going to the beach to help perform cpr. The guy was swimming right in front of the tower apparently. Young guy, perhaps in his late 20s or early 30s.

Was under for about 30 seconds.

Not sure if he panicked but I figured he must have. Lots of people can swim but to swim in the ocean is a terribly different thing and the riptide flag was up which means you have to be a very strong swimmer. He wasn't.

They performed CPR on him for about 10-15 minutes while a crowd of at least 100 if not more watched. A few had hoped they'd bring him back to life and the crowd would burst out into a bevy of applause. I mean it was the Fourth of July and it was supposed to be a day of celebration and independence but for them it'll be a day of remorse and sadness.

They walked past us, were in front of us and you could see the anguish in their eyes. I actually turned away, wanted to respect them, him. I didn't see his body but S. said he was young. She was hoping that because they didn't cover him up, it meant that he wasn't gone...but earlier, another friend of ours was standing close as they performed cpr. She said she had looked out and saw dolphins in the water as they pumped him then they went under. She looked away for a second and from the corner of her eye she saw a flash of light go up, she turned to look towards it but there was nothing there. She said that that's when she knew he was gone. His soul had left his body.

Sad...