Surfer credited for Saturday rescue

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (WOOD) - A red flag flies at the Grand Haven beach, warning swimmers of Lake Michigan's dangerous side.

But despite the fierce winds, high waves and rip current, some people are ignoring the warning.

One father rescued three children Monday afternoon. On Saturday, a rescue assistant with a surfboard rescued three girls.

Now, he is being credited for helping to save their lives.

"I was actually walking out on the Grand Haven pier, and all of a sudden, I look down, there is three girls that were just screaming and yelling for help and everything," said Matthew Varley, the rescue assistant. "It was completely surreal."

Surveillance cameras caught the rescue on tape.

Varley frantically ran along the pier as he saw the stranded girls. He was followed by a police officer, who jumped into the water in an attempt to help.

"So, I yelled for help and then he jumped in with his life preserver on, then I grabbed one of the life rings ... pulled it off and threw it in, that set off the sirens," he said. "Then, I jumped in with my board here and everybody just grabbed on."

With the help of the board and the officer, Varley pulled the girls to safety.

"If I didn't have my board with me, I probably would have gone down, too," Varley said. "The rip current's so strong out there, it's really hard to make it if you don't have something to hold on to."

24 Hour News 8 stopped in to speak with Grand Haven Public Safety.

"I do know the officer that assisted in the rescue was too exhausted to do it on his own ... he was allowing the waves to get them into shore, but they were out quite a ways on the pier," Grand Haven Public Safety Lt. Joseph Boyle said.

On Monday, Varley was back in the lake, making the most of the huge waves. But Saturday's close call remains fresh in his memory.

"I think about it every day, what would have happened if one of those girls went under, who knows what could have happened," Varley said.