A 40-year-old Florida man, Adem Qorri, is being hailed a hero after saving his friends’ 6-year-old son from drowning during a boat outing at Anclote Island. He was enjoying some much-needed time on the boat with his children, his friend – Dale Furness – and his friends’ children. The trip began with smiles.
Unfortunately, those smiles quickly turned to terror when one of Furness’ children got stuck in a riptide off the Anclote River Boat Ramp. Understanding that time was of the essence, Qorri acted fast and decided to chase after Carson, the 6-year-old. He initially caught up to Carson and prevented him from drowning.
Brave heroes act to save a drowning child by Adem Qorri who came to America as refugee like many of us.
— Besim Hysenaj (@bhyse01) March 28, 2023
They have gofundme page so people can help the family with his burial and other needs. https://t.co/lMMxvMntYR pic.twitter.com/a0vOYMvtay
In the midst of his heroic action, Qorri lost consciousness as he battled the riptide himself. He was eventually pulled out of the water by other boaters in the area and was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead. While one precious life was saved amid the terror another precious life was lost.
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Mallory Hutchinson, the 6-year-old’s mother, spoke to the media and was quick to call her husband’s friend a hero. “My six-year-old, he saved his life. He wouldn’t be here. It would be me in this situation,” she said as she was joined by Blerta Qorri, the wife of Adem – who is mourning the loss of her husband.
Hutchinson went on to explain that she received photos from her son showing off the beautiful views and a starfish they caught while on the beach. The group eventually decided to head over to Anclote Island so the kids could play on the beach and swim in the water. Little did they know that tragedy would follow.
“I guess my younger one got to the ledge where the sandbar dropped off. My older one tried grabbing him and pulling him back, and he couldn’t reach him. And then he got stuck in the riptide,” she said – Dale and Adem rushed to help. “My son said that he was calling for help, and he was screaming he was sorry.”
It became a rescue effort with multiple other boaters rushing to aid those in need. Furness and the others were quick to grab the two boys but were apparently too late in rescuing Adem. They pulled him out of the water, but he wasn’t breathing and was unconscious. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Adem’s Wife Says He Knew the Risk of Drowning But Would Do It Again
Blerta Qorri, who also spoke with the media following the tragedy, is remembering her husband as ‘the best dad ever.’ She also said that, while he knew the risk he was taking in saving the child, he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again, if called upon. If it meant saving a child, he would risk his own life again and again.
“I would say he would do it again over and over and over, and he wouldn’t think about it. And I’m glad actually he did it and that he is a hero now,” Blerta said. Mallory added she ‘can’t even put into words my gratitude’ and ‘can’t even say how thankful I am’ – “There are no words that will ever replace him.”
GULF COAST RIP CURRENT AWARENESS WEEK ????
— South Walton Fire District (@swfdinfo) February 28, 2023
Do you know how to spot a rip current? What about the different parts of a rip current? Learn more from SWFD Beach Safety Officer Daniel Brake in this video.
Beach Safety Season in South Walton kicks off March 1. ???????? pic.twitter.com/0GHrDM0OdG
For those that would like to donate to the Qorri family – which includes Blerta and their three children – a GoFundMe was created in Adem’s honor. In just three days, the account has raised $49,258 of its initial goal of $50,000 through more than 600 donations. Every little bit helps as the family mourns their loss.
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Blerta Qorri has also noted that they plan on sending her husband’s body to Kosovo – a self-declared independent country located in the Balkans region of Europe. Adem lived in Kosovo before coming to America as a refugee in search of a better life. He found that better life, but is now gone far too soon.
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