Most people freeze when they see tragedy unfolding.
Logan Hayes didn't have time to freeze.
And a Florida man dove into freezing water and saved two lives with one split-second choice.
Florida Man Turned His Morning Commute Into a Life-Saving Mission
Hayes was stuck in Friday morning traffic on Interstate 95 near Stuart, Florida when he spotted something that made his blood run cold.
A car was sinking into a pond near the Gatlin Boulevard exit.
"I was just kind of dumbfounded, to be honest," Hayes told WPBF exclusively on Saturday. "Like, I just couldn't believe that happened. Couldn't believe that at that exact moment I happened to be driving by at the exact time."
The Sebastian man didn't wait for first responders.
He threw his hat off, ripped his hoodie off, ripped his boots off, took three or four full-stride steps and dove straight into the cold water.
Hayes swam toward the vehicle as it tilted nose-down and began sinking.
"I swam up to the car, the back passenger door was the only door that was … luckily, it was the closest door as well as it was kind of the only door that was still enough above water," Hayes said.
Hayes Raced Against a 60-Second Deadline Without Knowing It
You've got 30 seconds to two minutes before a vehicle goes under.
Once water pushes against the windows, they become nearly impossible to open.
Research shows victims submerged longer than five minutes face markedly increased mortality.
Hayes reached the car while the back door was still above water.
He pulled it open and found a panicking woman in the driver's seat.
"And so, she comes in between the two front seats and climbs … she's coming into the backseat," Hayes explained. "The car is now starting to tilt more and roll down and more over. It's water flooding the car."
The woman scrambled between the front seats as the vehicle rolled deeper.
She made it through the back door and landed in the water next to Hayes.
"She landed in the water next to me, and I grabbed her around her hips just to hold it because I didn't know what or where she was going to go, like, what was going to happen if she could swim," Hayes said. "So, when I was holding her, that's when I realized she was pregnant because obviously I was wrapped around her and could feel her stomach."
The Car Vanished Before Hayes Reached Shore
Hayes turned toward shore with the woman.
By the time he looked back, the car had already disappeared beneath the surface.
"And so, I swam her to shore, it's like 40 or 50 feet from where the car was sunk," Hayes stated. "But I mean, when I got a hold of her and turned around, the car was already under the water and gone."
Martin County Fire Rescue crews arrived minutes later as Hayes pulled her to safety.
Bystanders handed the woman clothing and blankets.
Fire rescue divers entered the water to confirm no other occupants were inside and to assist with scene recovery.
Pregnant Woman Gave Birth Hours After Near-Death Experience
Paramedics rushed the woman to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce with serious injuries.
Hours later, she gave birth.
Hayes followed up with the woman's fiancé who confirmed the woman had her baby and that the two of them are doing okay.
Hayes works on a private sport fishing boat, so he's comfortable in water.
But he'd never rescued anyone before this.
"I've had other instances where I've helped people to shore, surfing and all kinds of stuff, but I definitely felt way more control in those instances," Hayes said. "As comfortable as I am in the water, to feel like I was capable being able to do something like that."
Martin County Fire Rescue praised the response.
"Great teamwork by all responding units and the citizens on scene," the agency posted on Facebook.
Split-Second Decisions Separate Heroes From Bystanders
Hayes made three decisions in less than 60 seconds.
He chose to act instead of hoping someone else would handle it.
He chose to dive in without knowing what he'd find.
He chose to keep moving even as the car sank.
Roughly 400 Americans drown in vehicles every year.
Most rescues fail because bystanders wait too long or don't act at all.
Hayes didn't wait for permission.
He didn't debate whether he should get involved.
He saw someone drowning and he moved.
That instinct to act without hesitation separates people who save lives from people who watch tragedy unfold.
The pregnant woman and her baby are alive today because Hayes happened to be driving on I-95 at exactly the right moment.
And because when that moment came, he was the kind of man who rips off his boots and dives in.
Sources:
- Rachel Williams, "Treasure Coast hero describes rescuing pregnant woman from sinking car," WPBF, February 9, 2026.
- Grace Bellinghausen and Jamilka Gibson, "Good Samaritan recounts rescue of pregnant woman from sinking vehicle in Stuart pond," CBS12, February 9, 2026.
- Allen Cone, "Man rescues pregnant woman from sinking car off I-95 in Martin County," WPBF, February 7, 2026.
- Gordon Giesbrecht, "The evidence base for a new 'Vehicle in Water' emergency dispatch protocol," Annals of Emergency Dispatch & Response, 2016.
