Brian Harman playing RSM Classic with heavy heart after family friend, now in coma, saved son from rip current
"They disregarded theirselves, went into the water, saved my son and how do you thank people like that?"
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Brian Harman has plenty to play for at this week’s season-ending RSM Classic.
It’s an event he is making his 13th start in, and the Sea Island resident is plenty familiar with the Seaside Course. It’s his first start since the 2024 Presidents Cup, and Harman admits he hasn’t practiced much golf since, though he thinks about it non-stop as he works to improve ahead of the 2025 season.
This week, he’s playing with a heavy heart.
A few weeks ago, on Sunday, Oct. 13, Harman was in China, and his wife took their kids with family friend Cathy Dowdy to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, for some vacation time. Harman’s six-year-old son was boogie boarding with a friend when a rip current pulled him out, and that’s when Dowdy sprung into action.
She went into the water after Harman’s son. However, she couldn’t get to him and was injured. Another bystander, Crane Cantrell, jumped in and saved them both.
Dowdy has been in a coma for six weeks.
“So obviously our world down here was kind of turned on its head,” Harman said. “I don’t really know what I wanted to kind of say other than I wanted to use whatever platform I have to bring awareness to what Cathy did, what Crane did. They disregarded theirselves, went into the water, saved my son and how do you thank people like that? I don’t know other than to just say what you think. I think that bravery and doing something like that for people who aren’t your blood is just the most beautiful thing you can do in this life.”
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Dowdy is in a hospital in Savannah, about 90 minutes from this week’s RSM Classic. Harman said the support and outreach from Glynn County and St. Simons community is one of the most touching things he has ever experienced.
“I appreciate everybody that’s helped us out through all this,” Harman said “You know, prayers for Cathy.”
A GoFundMe was set up for Dowdy’s family and has raised nearly $80,000 as of Tuesday.
