Off the coast of Sao Luís, Brazil, Olympian Bruno Lobo, a Brazilian kitesurfer, sprang into action, rescuing a woman struggling in the water. Lobo, who competed in kite surfing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, attributes the fortunate timing of the rescue to divine intervention. He shared a video of the event on Instagram, expressing gratitude for being “used as an instrument” to save the young woman.

Lobo, also an orthopedic doctor and a two-time Pan American Games champion, described the conditions on that day as cloudy with less-than-ideal wind. He had gone out to test new equipment, capturing the events with a camera he had set up to record. During his test run, he heard a cry for help and spotted the struggling woman. He quickly maneuvered his kite towards her, calmed her down, and had her climb onto his back. Exhausted and struggling, the woman was safely brought back to shore with Lobo’s assistance, where lifeguards provided further aid.

World Sailing praised Lobo's quick thinking and heroic actions in a statement released shortly after the incident. In his video recounting the rescue, Lobo cautioned viewers about the unpredictable nature of water currents in unfamiliar bodies of water, urging them to exercise caution.

This act of heroism underscores the importance of water safety and highlights the potential for even routine training sessions to become opportunities for life-saving intervention.