Lieutenant Rottman was with his wife when saw a woman leaning over the edge of the Lake Michigan breakwater, calling to her kids, who were struggling to swim to shore against the rip tide. He immediately jumped into the lake and along with a few other good Samaritans, brought the boys safely back to the beach. Their mother, who had jumped in after Rottman in an attempt to save her children, had also gotten stuck in the strong current; Rottman rescued her as well.