What started out as a game of beach Wiffle ball ended up as a chance for heroism for one Ironton native.

Airman 1st Class Aaron Hasenauer, 20, was taking a little breather from his work at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Ariz., Memorial Day weekend with a few friends. After a quick swim along California’s Laguna Beach, rough waves drove them onto shore.

But soon after they decided to take in some sun on dry land, their recreation was interrupted by a distressed woman who had just sprinted up to their game. She was out of breath and frantically searching for the lifeguard station.

“We asked her why, and she said that there was a young boy out in the ocean and he couldn’t make it back in,” Hasenauer said. “Sure enough, there was a boy out there and he looked to be about 14. He was swimming like he was trying to get back to shore, but the current kept pulling him out.”

As soon as they spotted the boy, Hasenauer and friend Brian had begun sprinting towards the water, but they were a few feet behind an older man, and they figured there was little reason for concern.

But as the older man and the boy became separated and the man began to drift further out to sea, the two soldiers knew that they suddenly had a double rescue to attempt.

Brian soon had the boy in his grasp, and told Hasenauer to help the man.

“I remember a big wave came up, and I dove under it, but when I came up, I kind of got disoriented,” Hasenauer said. “I turned around and saw that he was getting swept out further by the current.”

Despite the danger to himself, Hasenauer said it didn’t cross his mind, as he was more concerned about getting the man to safety.

Mustering up a final push, Hasenauer finally managed to retrieve the man, and after six or seven minutes of hard swimming, the two were back on dry land.

Not one for glory, Hasenauer said he didn’t really talk to anyone about what had happened, until he mentioned it in passing to his mom, Susan Melvin, who said the news came as little surprise to her.

“No, not at all,” Melvin said. “He would put his own life at risk … even when he was a teenager, stopping and helping people on the road. I would always tell him ‘Aaron, you can’t do that,’ but he would anyway.”

It would seem that unfortunately for Melvin’s peace of mind, but fortunately for two certain Californians, Hasenauer still has his helpful streak.

“After he told me, I said ‘Aaron, that’s great, I’m proud of you, don’t ever do it again,’” Melvin said with a laugh.