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Maryland Father Praises Work Of Ocean City Beach Patrol For Saving Son's Life Last Fourth Of July

OCEAN CITY, Md. (WJZ) -- A Maryland father is thanking Ocean City Beach Patrol for saving his son's life last Fourth of July.

Matt Paepcke said his son Ben broke his neck diving into the surf on July 4, 2019. He said that Crew 7 responded within seconds and safely pulled Ben out of the ocean.

"Their quick response saved [Ben's] life as he was paralyzed face down in the water," Matt Paepcke wrote in a Facebook post.

He also said that two of the guards involved in the rescue came to visit the family.

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"A few days ago, our family was honored with a visit from R.J. and Matthew," Matt Paepcke said. "Although they spent most of the evening with Ben, I could easily tell that these two young men are of the highest quality."

The following E-mail was sent to me today by Matt Paepcke, the father of Ben who broke his neck and was paralyzed this...

Posted by Ocean City Beach Patrol on Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Ben Paepcke is currently considered a tetraplegic and recovering slowly, his father said.

"But at least, thanks to the OCBP, he is alive. There is truly no way to fully express our gratitude for the heroic and professional action of Crew 7 was that day," Matt Paepcke said.

Captain Arbin said he wanted to thank every Ocean City Beach Patrol member, past and present, for the tremendous impact they have made on the lives of families rescued and returned.

"This letter is just one example of how our employees, both past and present, are significant in the lives of the people they interact with on the beaches of Ocean City," Arbin said.

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