LIHU‘E — After helping save the life of a fellow vacationer who found herself in trouble snorkeling Sunday at ‘Anini Beach, Brandi Texeira brightened up the near-drowning victim’s day by bringing her flowers Tuesday at Wilcox Memorial Hospital.

The daughter of Kapa‘a residents Carol and Bobby Texeira said she heard Wood scream out in the water, helped pull her to shore and started cardiopulmonary resuscitation with the help of an unidentified man.

Texeira, home on vacation, is a police officer with the New Mexico State University Police Department. She underscored that the incident was not a solo endeavor.

“I wasn’t the only one that helped this young girl,” Texeira said in an e-mail. “I helped pull her out of the ocean with a male and a female and no one knew how to do CPR so I did chest compressions while another male gave the victim mouth-to-mouth breaths.

“I’m just happy to have been there and I’m relieved that she’s OK,” Texeira said. “It’s amazing how complete strangers can come together and work as a team for another complete stranger. It just shows the type of aloha spirit we embrace on Kaua‘i, whether local or just visiting.” 

Witnesses said Texeira noticed or heard Wood struggle in the water and two to three minutes later they realized that she was face down in the water and unresponsive several yards from shore, according to Kaua‘i Fire Department firefighters.

Texeira and an unidentified man went into the water and brought Wood to shore, where Texeira and another unidentified male performed resuscitation efforts on her until KFD arrived.

Fire personnel believe that the rescue and lifesaving efforts by Texeira and the men gave Wood a great chance to respond well to advanced life support care provided by medical personnel on scene and then later at the Wilcox Hospital emergency room.

“I visited the victim today (Tuesday) at ICU (Wilcox Hospital intensive care unit) and she’s doing very well. She was sitting up and talking and doctors believe she will make a full recovery,” Texeira said.

When first admitted to Wilcox Hospital Sunday, Wood was listed in critical condition, and then Monday was downgraded to serious. On Wednesday, she was released, according to Brooke Johnson, hospital spokesperson.

Texeira, a 2003 Kaua‘i High School graduate and 2007 NMSU graduate, was valedictorian of the December 2008 class of the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy in Santa Fe.

She also won one of the physical-fitness awards during the 20-week academy, where she was one of a class of 47 officers from around the state, according to a press release.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, with a minor in information technology and intelligence studies.

While working in the NMSU athletic department as an undergraduate, Texeira was in the Alpha Phi Sigma honor society for two years, on the Dean’s List for four years, and won awards in several national competitions.

Texeira currently resides in Las Cruces, N.M.

• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com