Supermodel Heidi Klum became Supermom when she rescued her son from nearly drowning in a powerful riptide. INSIDE EDITION has the story.
Heidi Klum returns home a hero.
The supermodel arrived at the Los Angeles airport hand-in-hand with her seven-year old son, Henry. Heidi turned into supermom over Easter weekend when she saved Henry from drowning in Hawaii. In a heartstopping photo that was posted online, Henry can be seen in the crashing surf.
Heidi, her four children with ex-husband Seal, and her bodyguard boyfriend Martin Kristen were believed to be staying at a private resort on the north shore of Oahu Island. Oahu's spectacular beaches are the background for movies and TV shows like Hawaii Five-0 and Lost, but the waters can also be deadly.
A YouTube video taken the day Heidi's son almost went under shows the surf was so dangerous that it took down a grown man. Sixty people on average drown in Hawaii each year.
On Easter Sunday, Heidi brought her kids to one of the area's secluded beaches, apparently looking for privacy. There were no lifeguards. She may not have known that the National Weather Service had issued a "high-surf advisory" warning of "strong breaking waves and strong rip currents that could make swimming difficult and dangerous." [Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser]
Jim Howe, Operations Director, Oahu Ocean Safety said, "This past Easter Sunday, we had pretty dangerous surf. Very rough conditions. We also had a very strong north wind that made the ocean extremely rough and choppy, to the point where almost no one was out surfing."
It was a rip tide that dragged little Henry out into the ocean. Fortunately, Heidi and her boyfriend quickly jumped into action and rescued Henry. A photo was taken just moments later.
"We're very happy and so pleased that, as a vigilant mother, she took immediate action when she saw her child in distress, to save him," said Howe.
Supermom Heidi is a strong swimmer. At 5'10", she's got an athletic body and is always in runway-ready shape.
In a statment, Heidi said, "We got pulled into the ocean by a big wave. Of course, as a mother, I was very scared for my child and everyone else in the water. Henry is a strong swimmer and was able to swim back to land. We were able to get everyone out safely."
