Updated August 5, 12:49 pm.
A 55-year-old Cambridge man died after getting caught in a strong rip current 100 yards off the beach at Long Point Wildlife Refuge Friday, the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office told The Times Monday.
A sunny day on the beach with his wife and two teenage sons turned to tragedy when Kevin Foster swam out to his sons, “who were struggling to swim, and yelling for help,” according to the District Attorney’s Office.
West Tisbury Police responded to Long Point Friday after receiving a report of a party of swimmers in distress at 3:47 pm. “Initial calls were chaotic and unclear, and reported several people in the water,” the West Tisbury Police incident report states.
Police didn’t initially specify on Friday how many people were rescued from the water. But Mary Dettloff, director of public relations for the Trustees of Reservations, which manages the area, said in an email to The Times Monday that five people were pulled from the water, and four of them were “physically OK.”
Foster’s family said in a statement to The Times that while enjoying the beach, Foster noticed people were struggling in the water, and “true to the person he was, tried to help.” His family includes his wife Nadia Foster and their sons, Kenneth and Kaden.
“Tragically, he was caught in a powerful rip current,” the statement said. The statement was shared with The Times by Marjorie Decker, a friend of the family and state representative in Cambridge, who remembered Foster in a social media post as a loving father who was dedicated to public service, specifically as an advocate for affordable housing.
“Kevin lived his life with kindness, generosity, and a deep instinct to help others. He lost his life in a place that meant so much to him, surrounded by people he loved, on an Island that has given our family some of our most treasured memories over many years,” the statement said.
West Tisbury Police requested a mutual aid ambulance from Edgartown immediately as they were dispatched, and police arrived at the beach parking area, located between Long Cove Pond and Big Homer’s Pond north of the south-facing beach at Long Point, with EMS personnel, where West Tisbury Fire Chief Gregory Pachico assumed command, according to the incident report.
“We loaded personnel and lifesaving equipment onto several [utility terrain vehicles] and made our way onto the beach,” the reporting officer from West Tisbury, Steven Mathias, wrote in the report. He wrote that he “observed several individuals approximately 100 yards offshore in the heavy surf” that didn’t appear to be “making any headway toward the shore.” The incident took place 15 feet left of the beach entrance, according to West Tisbury Police Chief Bradley Cortez.
West Tisbury Police and lifeguards from South Beach, who traveled about five miles via all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and arrived as police officers did from their station east of Long Point, worked together to pull Foster out of the water, Ben Retmier, chief of Tri-Town Ambulance, said Friday. Retmier added that his crews said there was a strong rip current in the water, and Foster was having trouble getting back to the beach.
“Every available lifesaving measure was taken in an attempt to save the individual,” Cortez said Friday after the incident.
Cortez added that they were able to get him off the beach, and he was transported by ambulance to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. The police report states that Foster was “unresponsive, and CPR was initiated by first responders.” A LUCAS machine, which is portable and gives automated chest compressions, was placed on Foster, and he was secured on a long board, transferred to a stretcher and placed in the ambulance.
There are no lifeguards at Long Point, Dettloff said. “While we do have signage indicating conditions, on the highly exposed south-facing beaches, conditions change rapidly. Rip tides and strong currents are almost always present,” Dettloff added.
There is rescue equipment, including two rescue boards and two rescue buoys, at the beach, and Trustees rangers are trained to use them: “We have an emergency response plan that our rangers deployed on [Friday] during the incident, and we are grateful [that] many lives were saved that day.” She commended the bravery of all those involved in the rescue.
“Our family is deeply grateful to the lifeguards, firefighters, EMS personnel, law enforcement, and the brave members of the public who selflessly entered the water to help those in distress, and who did everything they could in an extraordinary and heartbreaking situation. Their courage, compassion, and professionalism will never be forgotten,” the Foster family said in the statement.
West Tisbury Police and Fire officers, Trustees personnel, Tri-Town Ambulance, and the lifeguards from South Beach all responded to the call. Chilmark Fire was also stationed at Quansoo Preserve, west of Long Point, to offer support.
Cortez commended the professionalism, teamwork, and rapid response demonstrated by everyone who assisted during this difficult incident, and Retmier said on Friday that interagency operations went smoothly.
About the lifeguards, Cortez said they were incredible: “They drove the whole way.”
Darci Schofield, Islands director for the Trustees, is working with the staff at Long Point to make sure they’re taking care of their mental health after the incident, Dettloff said.
The Trustees closed down Long Point Wildlife Refuge beaches on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2, according to social media posts from the group, and refunded all reservations due to the “tragic incident” Friday.
“At this time, our priority is supporting the efforts of the community and the well-being of all visitors and staff,” the post by the Trustees read.
The area was set to reopen Monday, August 3, but rough water conditions closed the south beach; people could still swim at Long Cove Pond at Long Point.
A GoFundMe for the Foster family was set up by friends of the family to support the education of Kevin’s two sons, Kenneth and Kaden.
“We are deeply comforted knowing Kevin spent his final moments in a place he cherished, embraced by a community that has always held a special place in our hearts,” the statement from the Foster family said.
Editor’s note: Updated to include a statement from the Foster family and information from the Trustees of Reservations, the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office, and the police report.
Your article suggests a quick response but the incident took place over at least 40 minutes and Fire/Police/EMS did not arrive until at least 30 minutes after the swimmers called for help from the water. Four beachgoers, including my wife and a visitor named Andrew Froom of Maryland bravely jumped in and helped three individuals get back to shore, and then swam out in high surf with the rescue board to retrieve the
Victim. That brave group struggled for 25 to 30 minutes to bring the man back to shore on a rescue board, before EMS arrived. Beachgoers should understand that EMS is 30 minutes away when at Long Point so in an emergency you are depending on yourself and good samaritans for that half hour.
Could you please, please, please use news stories like this to educate beach about how to recognize rip currents. A link to videos like this one from NOAA could save lives.
https://cdn.oceanservice.noaa.gov/oceantodayprod/media/ripcurrentfeature/ripcurrent_feature_sm.mp4
I never met Mr. Foster, but this line from the article says all I need to know about him:
“Foster swam out to save other swimmers in distress before he was also caught in the rip tide.”
My deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of this courageous man.
Kids (and adults) should be tought what to do if caught in a rip tide. You don’t fight it, but you swim parallel to the shore line and the rip tide going towards shore will bring you in.