Father of Three Dies After Saving Two Children From Rip Current at Juno Beach

Ryan Jennings, a father of three from Maine, died after rescuing his two children from a rip current while the family was vacationing at Juno Beach, Florida. Family members, friends and emergency responders described his actions as heroic.

What happened

According to his wife, Emily Jennings, Ryan was in the water with their 12-year-old son, Jax, and their 9-year-old daughter when the three were suddenly caught in a rip current. Emily said she was on the sand with the couple’s youngest daughter and a niece building sandcastles when she heard her son run to shore and say his father and sister were in trouble.

Emily recounted that Ryan threw their son toward the beach and urged him to swim to safety while holding his daughter above his head to keep her from taking on water. Lifeguards and other rescuers reached the scene and brought four people in an unguarded area to shore; all were taken to a local hospital.

Emergency response and outcome

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Ocean Rescue confirmed a water rescue near Juno Beach at 3:25 p.m. Wednesday. A Juno Beach Police Department incident report states the children told officers they were struggling in the water when their father "came into the ocean to save them." Responders found Ryan unconscious as he was being carried to shore; he was not breathing and received lifesaving measures before being transported to Jupiter Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

Rip current risk

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explains that a rip current is a narrow, fast-moving channel of water that can pull swimmers away from shore. NOAA estimates rip currents cause roughly 100 deaths in the United States each year. Rescue officials emphasized that swimming at guarded beaches, where trained lifeguards can spot hazardous conditions and warn beachgoers, can reduce these risks.

Family and community

Family members and friends remembered Ryan as a devoted, selfless father who made people feel seen. His mother, Gail McLaughlin Toti, thanked first responders and medical staff on Facebook for their compassion and efforts. Emily Jennings said the couple met while she was a single mother in nursing school, fell "absolutely in love," and later married. They had three children—Jax, Charlie and Bowie—and had recently learned they were expecting a fourth child.

"I don't want Ryan's legacy to be remembered for how he died. It has to be by how he lived," Emily said, describing him as kind, loving and selfless.

A GoFundMe campaign established to support Emily and the children had raised more than $167,000 by Monday morning. The fundraiser described Ryan as a devoted father and Emily’s "soul mate," and thanked the community for ongoing support. Friend Michael Carney noted Ryan moved from Massachusetts to Maine to raise his family and called him a hero in a Facebook tribute.

Takeaway

This tragedy underscores the danger of rip currents and the importance of swimming at guarded beaches and observing posted warnings. Officials urge beachgoers to learn how to identify and escape rip currents and to rely on lifeguards whenever possible.