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Olympic Champion Klete Keller, 42, Performs Life-Saving Rescue After Jet Ski Crash

Two-time Olympic champion Klete Keller performed a life-saving rescue off the coast of Florida on Wednesday after witnessing a jet ski crash while on his honeymoon.

Keller and his wife, Lindsey, were on a rented pontoon at Choctawhatchee Bay when they saw a jet skier launched into the air about 100 yards away. Another jet skier signaled for help, so they got closer and realized the teenage boy was facedown, motionless.

Keller jumped off the boat, swam to the victim, and started giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while treading water.

“He just looked so alone and so vulnerable face down not moving — I was terrified for him,” Keller said. “I probably gave him 10 breaths and probably on about the ninth breath, I said, ‘God, please save this boy.’ And I gave him one more breath, and his eyes opened. He was looking straight up at the sky and I’ll never forget his eyes — they were the shade of green. I was just so relieved that he opened his eyes and he started moving.

“I really felt a responsibility to this kid,” the 42-year-old added. “He felt like my child and I really felt an intimate connection to him.”

Keller recently finished serving a six-month home detention sentence for storming the U.S. Capitol with fellow Donald Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. The U.S. government had requested a 10-month sentence in federal prison for Keller.

A three-time Olympian, Keller won two gold medals as a member of the American men’s 800-meter freestyle relay team at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. He also picked up a silver in the event at Sydney 2000 in addition to a pair of bronze medals in the 400 free at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. He competed collegiately at USC for two years from 2000-01 before turning professional. Until 2007, he trained at Michigan’s Club Wolverine under coaches Jon Urbanchek and later Bob Bowman.

Update: Navarre high school senior Camden Cooper, 18, has been identified as the victim. He suffered a concussion, a minor brain bleed, and a fractured cheek bone, but he is expected to be released from the hospital next week. Keller went to visit Cooper in the hospital on Friday.

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How much can CD bench???
3 months ago

Klete breathed the life into this kid that he’s been holding in for 20 years since he sucked it out of the Thorpedo in the 4×200

Dave salo
3 months ago

Klete did not “Storm” the capital. Look at the video. He looked like a tourist.

Kim
Reply to  Dave salo
3 months ago

Just a the wrong place at the wrong time.

DLswim
Reply to  Dave salo
3 months ago

He did and was convicted. Jeez.

Bob
3 months ago

Ummmmm…….actually no comment.

Rudi Schmidt
3 months ago

Fight on Klete.
Hope all is well regrouping.

MDE
3 months ago

Every time I see this picture on the feed I go “oh no not this guy again.”

420openwaterswimmer
3 months ago

Somewhat crazy to think if he had been serving a 10 month ban – maybe that boy would not be alive today.
Glad the boy is ok and alive – and glad Klete was there when he was.

NahBro
3 months ago

Psh staged! He’s just trying to earn some good grace back

Mike
Reply to  NahBro
3 months ago

It’s just this type of bs thought process that led to people like Klete feeling like they should storm the capital. People with zero knowledge telling everyone something is a fraud.

Breezeway
3 months ago

He’ll be on the Hawke podcast next week

FST
Reply to  Breezeway
3 months ago

To be fair, SwimSwam was first to give the most recent doping guy (Brinegar) a platform on their podcast. There is really little moral high ground when it comes to sleazy clickbait.

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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