Dwayne D. Trotti

Dwayne D. Trotti died attempting to help save Rick C. Abille and others from drowning, Hanalei, Hawaii, December 17, 2006. Rick, 14, was swimming in the Pacific Ocean off a beach at the mouth of the Lumahai River. A wave knocked him off his boogie board, and strong ocean and river currents carried him farther from shore. He shouted for help. Trotti, 43, system engineer, was one of three coworkers who were at the beach. On hearing Rick shout for help, the two other coworkers swam out for him but were swept toward a rocky promontory that, extending a few hundred feet from shore, formed the far bank of the river. They struggled to stay afloat, Rick on the back of one of the coworkers. Meanwhile, Trotti, who had earlier left the scene to obtain body boards from the men’s vehicle, returned and entered the surf with the boards. He made his way to the coworker who was with Rick and attempted to give him one of the boards, but a wave broke over them and separated them. Trotti then swam to the other coworker and gave him a board. That coworker was swept farther out, around the end of the promontory, to where he was recovered by rescue personnel. The first coworker and Rick were also recovered by rescue personnel. Both men and Rick required hospital treatment, and they recovered. Found floating off shore, Trotti was taken to the beach, but he could not be revived. He had drowned.