A dramatic rescue at a known trouble spot on Kauai has a happy ending, thanks to the courageous actions of complete strangers.

It happened at Queen’s Bath on Kauai over the weekend.

At approximately 1:24 p.m. Saturday, officials say a rogue wave swept a couple from Milwaukee and their 11-month-old baby into the water.

Maj. Drew Downey, who was visiting from Oahu, says that’s when he and another Good Samaritan sprang into action.

Downey and his wife, Rifka, were visiting the spot for the first time. He told KHON2 he was recording when “my wife was about to jump in a second before that. We saw the waves were coming in pretty big and we decided to hold off.”

Seconds after that wave hit, panic ensued and Downey jumped into the water.

“With all the whitewash coming in, I really couldn’t see much but the mother with her hand up, starting to go under,” he recalled. “We saw the father, couldn’t see the baby at the time.”

“He had a baby backpack carrier and a big ol’ camera case on him and he still kept that baby above water,” Rifka Downey said.

Maj. Downey helped the mother to safety while a visitor from Canada, who was a firefighter, helped the father and baby. Downey says he got back in and swam the baby to a safe spot while the father followed.

“I was so scared, because initially I just thought it’s a baby. It could have easily been one of my own. I went into mommy mode, just save the baby,” said Rifka Downey.

Responding firefighters from the Hanalei station examined the victims before releasing them at the scene. The couple was shaken, but okay, and the baby only had a minor scrape.

“They were, I think, just coming down from their shock of what could be, what could have happened, and how grateful they were that they’re living,” Rifka Downey said.

The Downeys say it could have happened to anyone, especially a visitor.

“It’s so easy to not know the ocean,” said Rifka Downey.

“I’m just really happy they’re safe,” said Maj. Downey. “Pretty much everyone came away unscathed.”

Last February, a male visitor died at Queen’s Bath. He was taking a photo from the rock ledge when a wave swept him in.

A county spokeswoman says there are several warning signs along the trail warning visitors of hazardous ocean conditions.