ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
What was meant to be an ordinary day at the beach for Capt. Josh Cherkinsky, 316th Comptroller Squadron financial analysis flight commander, turned out to be an extraordinary opportunity to save a person's life.
Recently, Captain Cherkinsky was at the New Jersey shore with family and friends. Unlike the many vacationers who come home with souvenirs and T-shirts, Captain Cherkinsky came home with something much more significant - the knowledge that he was in the right place at the right time to save a friend's life.
As the waves came crashing over Captain Cherkinsky's six-foot frame, he noticed a familiar tug at his tiptoes. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native and 2003 United States Air Force Academy graduate recognized the tug immediately as a rip tide, a strong channel of water flowing away from the shoreline.
"We were 200, maybe 300 yards out, and as soon as I felt the rip tide, I knew we were going to be carried out," explained Captain Cherkinsky.
Since this was the third rip tide Captain Cherkinsky had experienced, he knew exactly what to do; his friend, however, was not so fortunate.
"He was right in the middle of the rip tide and started immediately panicking. By now, 10-foot waves started really crashing over our heads and he was soon 20 to 30 feet behind me," Captain Cherkinsky said.
The wind and rain that was overhead added to already perilous circumstances. Captain Cherkinsky knew the dangers of the situation.
"My friend started swimming against the rip tide, but I knew that wasn't what you were supposed to do, so I swam over to him and had to help him," he explained.
At this point, Captain Cherkinsky was fighting not only the waves, the rip tide and his friend; he was combating death itself. All he could see on the shore was a dot, which was Captain Cherkinsky's father-in-law waving them back to shoreline.
"We both could've been swept away. I think I could have made it back had we been swept out into the ocean, but I'm not so sure about my friend," he said.
Captain Cherkinsky knew not to swim against the current. Instead, he swam parallel to the shore, across the current, carrying his friend by pulling his wrist. Eventually, they reached the shore.
"While it wasn't the strongest rip tide I've been in, what made it scary was the fact that someone else was out there with me and didn't know what to do. I had to help," he said.
Captain Cherkinsky credits CrossFit at the Andrews Tactical Fitness Center for his physical fitness in cheating death for both him and his friend.
"Had I not been in shape, there's no way I would've been able to fight the rip tide and fight my friend, as well. Being fit totally saved our lives," he said.