California Father Left Paralyzed After Ocean Rescue Attempt at San Clemente Beach

Josh Collette, 42, was declared paralyzed from the neck down following a diving accident at Riviera Beach in San Clemente, California, on August 15. The incident occurred when Collette attempted to assist a child, estimated to be between 7 and 8 years old, who had become trapped in a rip current, according to his sister Hillary Collette in an interview with KTLA.

After the child’s mother initially waded into the water to reach her daughter, Collette rushed past her and dove into the ocean to help. Upon entering the water, he struck either a sandbar or rocks and sustained an immediate injury to his neck. Bystanders quickly pulled him from the ocean, and Collette immediately told his wife he believed he had fractured his cervical spine.

Emergency responders successfully extracted the child from the water before removing Collette from the ocean. Medical professionals subsequently confirmed that Collette had sustained a spinal cord injury resulting in paralysis from the neck down. Though initially unable to speak, doctors indicated he may regain his speech capability with time and treatment.

The Collette family established a GoFundMe campaign to address anticipated medical expenses, ongoing therapy costs, and household support during the extended recovery process. The fundraiser had accumulated nearly $110,000 by Sunday evening. In a recent update, the family noted that weaning Collette off medications would require significant time, but expressed gratitude for continued community support and maintained optimism about his recovery prospects.