Disney Cruise Line Doctor Praised For Comforting Girl Who Fell Overboard
Tragedy was averted last week when a 5-year-old girl fell overboard from the Disney Dream and into the Atlantic Ocean.
According to the latest reports, the young girl was sitting on the Deck 4 guardrail when she fell backwards through a porthole and into the ocean.
Alerted to what happened, the girl’s father dove into the sea after her, eventually treading water for more than 10 minutes while holding his daughter before rescue boats could reach them.
Courage During Crisis
In the aftermath of the incident, the heroism of both the young girl’s father and the Disney Cruise Line crew has been lauded by officials and observers alike.
Since the video of the rescue began to circulate on social media, many have also highlighted a woman on the rescue boat who held the girl in her arms after she was pulled from the sea.
USA Today
Now, we know who that individual was.
Meet Alyssa Charles
According to the New York Post, Alyssa Charles, a South African lead physician on the Disney Dream, has been identified as the woman comforting the rescued girl in the boat.
Photo: LinkedIn (via NY Post)
Sharing the video on social media, Alyssa’s sister Jasmine identified her sibling and heaped her with praise.
“That’s my sister! Doctor on the rescue boat!” she wrote.
“My sister is the head doctor that was in the boat! I am so emotional watching this, and I am such a proud little sister!”
Photo: Alyssa Charles on Instagram (via NY Post)
According to the Daily Mail, Charles is a pediatric and emergency care specialist who has worked for the Disney Cruise Line since last year.
Her compassion during a time of crisis has inspired millions.
Both Father and Daughter Were Successfully Rescued
After being rescued from the sea, both father and daughter were examined by the Disney Dream’s medical staff.
Photo: Disney Cruise Line
When the ship arrived at Port Everglades on Monday, the father was taken to a local hospital.
To protect the family’s privacy, their names and injuries are being withheld. Thankfully, however, it sounds like everyone will be ok.
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below. One of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond-level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon! Also, Thanks for reading!
