While the beach is typically a place of relaxation, that day it became the backdrop for a life-and-death struggle. This week, Jones finds himself reflecting deeply on the events of that fateful day, especially in light of being awarded one of North America’s most prestigious civilian honors for his bravery.

The incident took place in April when Army veteran Joshua Curtis, who was visiting Fernandina Beach with his young son Owen and niece Raylynn, encountered a terrifying situation. A vicious rip current suddenly swept the children away from the shore. Without hesitation, Curtis plunged into the water, determined to keep them afloat despite the relentless pull of the current.

Meanwhile, Lance Jones, a local resident, was enjoying a peaceful walk with his wife and daughter when a panicked stranger approached him, pleading for help. “She said the kids are in the water, I think they need help,” Jones recounted during an interview with First Coast News. Looking out, he saw a girl struggling about 100 yards from the beach, clearly in distress.

The collective efforts of Jones and Curtis that day underscore the power of human courage and selflessness. While the tragic outcome left an indelible mark, it also forged a legacy of heroism that will not soon be forgotten. Lance Jones’s recognition serves as a poignant reminder of the impact that ordinary people can have in extraordinary circumstances.

“She said the kids are in the water, I think they need help, and I look out and I see a girl about 100 yards offshore that’s flailing,” Jones recalled in an interview with First Coast News.

Jones tossed his keys and phone to his wife and ran straight into the ocean. When he reached Raylynn, she grabbed onto him so tightly that they both went under.

“I thought, uh oh, I gotta get her to calm down,” he said. “I said, what’s your name? She said, Raylynn. I said, Raylynn, I need you to help me… just kick and we’ll swim in. I’ve got you.”

He managed to get the 9-year-old close to shore, where bystanders stepped in to help. But before he could catch his breath, Raylynn began yelling about her cousin still in the water.

“She’s like, my cousin, my cousin, and was pointing back out into the water,” Jones said. “As I looked out, he was probably 200 yards offshore.”

Jones turned around and swam back out, this time toward Owen and Curtis.

“As I got closer, I realized that the gentleman, Joshua, was already kind of face down in the water,” Jones said. “I got up to Owen, he jumps off of his dad and grabs around my neck, and I go under again, but he didn’t let go.”

With a strong rip current pulling at them, Jones tried to keep both boy and father afloat.

“I thought that’s exactly what Josh did for those two kids as long as he could, just keep them afloat because the rip current was strong,” Jones said.

Jones began a desperate push back toward shore, one arm on Owen and the other on Curtis.

“I feel like it was a pure God moment,” he said. “I’m like, get us in. I don’t know what else to pray to, just get us in.”

Owen and Raylynn survived. Curtis did not.

“God had us there at that time for a reason,” Jones said. “It’s still heartbreaking that it wasn’t in time for Josh.”

This month, Jones and the late Joshua Curtis were named recipients of the Carnegie Medal, considered the highest honor for civilian heroism in the United States. The award recognizes people who risk their lives to save others.

Jones said the recognition is “bittersweet” and that he struggles with being called a hero.

“It’s hard to wrap around feeling that label as a hero,” he said. “But I know reverse, if it was a similar situation and someone went out and did that for my daughter or my son, I would probably put that same title. So yeah, bittersweet, but super humbling.”

Curtis was an Army veteran who had already earned the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his bravery in combat. Friends and family describe him as a devoted father who lived a life of service long before his final act in the ocean.

For Jones, what happened in the waves that night is a permanent reminder of how fragile life can be.

“Life is, I mean, it’s precious and everything can change so instantly,” he said.