A California father of five has been left paralyzed after selflessly diving headfirst into the ocean while trying to save two young children he saw caught in a rip current.
Josh Collette, a 45-year-old experienced surfer and swimmer, attempted the heroic maneuver on August 15 in the waters off San Clemente's Riviera Beach.
After it was clear the children were in danger, their mother began running into the ocean to help before Collette rushed past her and dove into the water, his sister Hillary Collette told KTLA.
But the rip current's shifting water had created a sandbar that he hit his head on.
Collette is now paralyzed from the neck down and has been in the Providence Mission Hospital's intensive care unit since the accident.
The children, who were seven or eight years old according to Hillary, were safely rescued and brought back to shore by others after Collette suffered his injury.
Doctors said Collette broke two vertebrae and severely damaged his spinal cord. He is unable to feel anything below the shoulders and is currently unable to speak, but he can communicate by mouthing words.
Speaking from his hospital bed, with his wife Rose interpreting his sentences, Collette told CBS News: 'I dove head first, and that's my fault. I should not have.'
Josh Collette, a 45-year-old father of five, was paralyzed after hitting his head while diving in the ocean as he tried to save two children caught in a rip current
Collette hit his head on a sandbar that was created by the rip current that wasn't present when he was in the water before he jumped in
Collette is currently unable to speak but can communicate by mouthing words that his wife, Rose, interprets. He is pictured with his wife and their five children
He also described immediately knowing that his injury was serious after hitting the sandbar, as his body began tingling while bystanders rushed over to help and Rose began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
'We knew right away,' Collette's wife told CBS News. 'He looked at me dead in the eyes and said, "I broke my neck. I cannot breathe."'
Collette explained that he had just been in the water before diving in and felt confident about the depth.
He said he was grateful for all of the love and support he has received from his family and the San Clemente community.
'This is hard, but it's bearable because I'm held up by your love,' Collette mouthed in a video his wife shared on Instagram.
'Things always work out for me, and I don't know how, but I'm sure things will be so different. I only lose the dumb things like money, surfing, hobbies, but I keep the most important things: my family and my kids. And my heart is full of love.
'While I was trying to help someone else, this is on me. It was my choice. I needed to act quickly, so I jumped in, and I should not have.
'I'm a fighter, and I'll do everything I can. If I can stay alive, keep my kids and my faith, then this will be a blessing.'
Collette described how he immediately knew he had broken his neck as his body began tingling and he struggled to breathe
Collette said he has had overwhelming support from his family and the San Clemente Community. A GoFundMe for the father of five has raised nearly $228,000
'And a slurpy would be nice,' he joked.
A GoFundMe organized by Collette's brother, Craig, to help pay for the family's medical expenses and future physical therapy bills said: 'The road ahead will be long, and the recovery will not be easy, we’re holding on to hope. We believe in miracles!'
An update posted on Friday included a picture of Collette smiling and said that he made great progress the day before.
The fundraiser has raised nearly $228,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.
