2 teens find elderly Seminole County woman struggling in Golden Gate Estates lake

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Mackenzie Hardin and Rene Martinez rode their ATV to an area called Muddy Lake, and said they never thought they’d come across a woman struggling in a lake.

“The sun had just gone down so there was just a little bit of light and you can’t really tell and at that time your head starts messing with you and you start to see things that aren’t really there,” Martinez said.

Police arrived and the two showed them where they thought the saw the body.

“I was like, ‘oh my god this is happening there’s actually a body in there,'” Hardin said.

Police reports show the woman as 83-year-old Ruth Brown, of Seminole County. Crews pulled her out of the lake and medics took her Physicians Regional Medical Center.

The family reported Brown missing around 5:30 p.m. Monday, according to the Seminole Sheriff’s Office. It’s unclear how she ended up in Collier County.

“I wanted to say I was crazy at first when I saw what I think I saw,” Hardin said.

The duo are happy they were at the right place at the right time.

“I felt pretty proud of what we did and helping her,” Martinez said.

Brown’s daughter told WINK News her mother is OK.

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