US Marine Steve Houser, a Downingtown native, saved a struggling swimmer while surfing at Jersey Shore over the weekend, writes Cecilia Levin for the Daily Voice. 

Houser, a special education history teacher in the PATHS program at Piscataway High School, went to Long Beach Island on Sept. 3 to film a promo video for a boogie board. He was teaching his daughter how to surf when he noticed several swimmers needing help. 

“I could see five to seven people in distress,” he said. 

Houser quickly got his daughter to shore before making his way to the swimmers with an inflatable, oversized boogie board with handles. The board his daughter was using to learn to surf turned into the perfect life-saver. 

With the assistance of other swimmers, he hoisted Gabe McCabe — who seemed to be in most distress — onto the board and brought him safely to shore. The entire rescue was captured by Houser’s camera. 

The two men talked after the rescue and now consider themselves bonded for life. 

“Happy to be in the right place at the right time,” said Houser. “The stars really aligned.” 

Read more about Steve Houser rescuing a swimmer in the Daily Voice. 

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