A day at the beach is often a perfect way to escape the sweltering heat, but as one mother from Massachusetts learned, it also comes with its own set of dangers.

She is now eager to warn others about these risks.

Although the incident took place more than a week ago, Heather Cassini says she is still “shaken.”

On July 4, while enjoying a day at Hampton Beach in New Hampshire, Cassini’s 10-year-old son, Declan, suddenly told her he wasn’t feeling well. At first, the 40-year-old mother wasn’t concerned. Declan had been playing in the ocean, and the heat was intense.

In a Facebook post that has since gone viral, Cassini explained, “I thought maybe the waves and a big breakfast were too much for him, and he just needed to rest.” However, as they started to head back to their spot, Declan became “disoriented” and stumbled into another sunbather.

Though he managed to get back on his feet, Declan collapsed again.

“I’m trying desperately to pick him up because I’m pregnant,” Cassini told Today.com. “He was vomiting and drifting in and out of consciousness. He was very pale.”

When a group of women nearby noticed the disturbance, they quickly stepped in to help. Paramedics, while monitoring his vitals, worked to keep him warm and conscious.

“May God bless everyone around us,” one of the women said. “There were so many nurses.”

“After what felt like an eternity, he was awake and talking. We got him to the car and waited until he started feeling better,” Cassini recalls.

Declan was diagnosed with hypothermia, a result of the 52-degree ocean temperature.

“I had no idea this could happen,” Cassini admitted. “I never thought about cold shock; you think about sunburns, dehydration, and other things that can happen in the water.”

Declan’s remarkable recovery has inspired Cassini to raise awareness about the risk of hypothermia, even in summer.

“A heads-up to parents with kids who love the water and don’t feel the cold—it doesn’t mean they can handle it just because they seem fine.”

The possibility of hypothermia on a hot summer day had never crossed my mind! This is such an important message, not just for parents, but for everyone.