A tragic incident unfolded on a Jersey Shore beach on Sunday, June 23, when a man lost his life after courageously returning to warn children playing in the water about an approaching storm.
Patrick Dispoto, 59, had just departed J Street Beach at Seaside Park in Ocean County with his girlfriend, Ruth Fussell, around 7 p.m. They noticed threatening clouds rapidly moving in, as reported by News 12 New Jersey.
Growing increasingly concerned for the children's safety, especially since lifeguards had already finished their day, Dispoto felt compelled to act.
"He said, 'I'll be right back.' I told him he shouldn't go," Fussell recounted her final conversation with him to the outlet.
"He said, 'I'm just going to warn these kids because the sky is about to open up. It'll just take a minute.' I said, 'No.'"
Reluctantly, Fussell complied as Dispoto escorted her to safety before returning to the beach to alert the children.
After 15 minutes and three unanswered calls to Dispoto, Fussell returned to find him lying face down in the sand, with a concerned stranger nearby shouting for help. The children were nowhere in sight, according to the report.
She rushed to Dispoto's side, and with the help of the stranger's wife, performed CPR on her unconscious boyfriend until emergency responders arrived.
Despite efforts, Dispoto was pronounced dead upon arrival at a local hospital. Medical authorities confirmed that he succumbed to a lightning strike, as reported by NJ Advance Media.
Fussell recalled Dispoto's unwavering willingness to assist those in need, emphasizing his selflessness and bravery as qualities she wants him to be remembered for.
"His final act of heroism defines him, and that's my Patrick Dispoto," she expressed to the outlet.
Dispoto's tragic death occurred three years after another fatal lightning incident at White Sands Beach in South Seaside Park, where 19-year-old lifeguard Keith Pinto lost his life while attempting to evacuate beachgoers.
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