Lifeguard Tomas Lopez Confused After Being Fired for Saving Man’s Life

Tomas Lopez, a lifeguard at Hallandale Beach, Florida, was fired on Monday for saving a downing mans life.  He knows why he was fired but just doesn’t understand it.

Lopez was fired because in going to aid the man yelling for help, he left “his” beach area unattended, therefore breaking a company rule.

Jeff Ellis and Associates, based in Orlando, fired Lopez because he left his south Florida beach section that the company is paid to patrol.

The Sun Sentinel reported that Lopez was on duty at that station when a beachgoer asked for help. Lopez ran to assist the man struggling in the water.  By the time Lopez arrived, witnesses had pulled the man onto the beach.

Then Lopez and an off-duty nurse helped the distressed man until paramedics arrived and took over. The man was taken to the hospital and survived.

Then Lopez was fired shortly after the rescue while two coworkers of his have quit in protest.