Deerfield teen saves drowning man, son on Hawaii vacation

DEERFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- A Chicago-area teen is being hailed as a hero for saving a drowning man and his son during a Hawaii vacation.

Alex Spungen of Deerfield swam out to help the boy back into shallow water and then returned to rescue the father, who was in trouble amid high swells on a windy Christmas Eve.

"It just happened so fast. It didn't really seem like it was wrong to do, I didn't really question it. It wasn't until later that night that I felt like, OK, I actually did this. I, like, helped save this man," Alex said.

Alex's heroics were witnessed by a couple from Buffalo Grove, who took pictures before they learned the hero was also from the Chicago area.