Lifeguard Who Was Fired After Rushing to Aid of Drowning Man Turns Down Offer to Resume Post Neetzan Zimmerman · 07/06/12 11:20AM Tomas Lopez was hailed as a hero by many after he rushed to save a swimmer from drowning at Florida's Hallandale Beach earlier this week. But for his sense of duty, the 21-year-old was rewarded with a pink slip.