Soldier Tim Brumit paralyzed after diving in water to save girl

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Sergeant Tim Brumit jumped headfirst into stormy water near Crab Island
But the sea was 1ft deep and Brumit, 32, broke two vertebrae in his neck
The soldier had jumped in to save a girl after her family screamed for help
Father-of-two Brumit was paralyzed from the neck down but has vowed to walk again

Published: 02:59 EST, 3 August 2015 | Updated: 09:09 EST, 3 August 2015

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A Special Forces solider has been left paralyzed from the neck down after diving into the sea to save a girl from drowning.

Sergeant First Class Tim Brumit jumped into the waves at Crab Island, near Destin, Florida, amid stormy conditions after hearing screams that a 13-year-old girl was in trouble in the water.

But the 6ft 4ins Army Ranger, who has served 11 deployments in 12 years, snapped two vertebrae in his neck after diving from his boat and slamming into deceptively shallow water.

In this Facebook photo posted on Sunday, Tim is seen with his two children Hallie Kate and Connor in his hospital bed

Family man: Brumit is pictured on the beach with his two children Hallie Kate and Connor

Battling adversity: Tim Brumit, pictured left, is a Special Forces soldier - just like his father Randy (right)

The 32-year-old told Wear-TV: 'They said don't go in the water it's storming, I dove. My misjudgement was that the wave moved out of the way and turned into a foot of water probably, and soon as I went, I'm 6'4, so I went in the water, hit my head first, and I'm like, oh I'm done.

'As soon as I hit I heard a crack, a crunch and I knew it was broken, I couldn't move my hands or legs, and I was conscious, no pain at all. I was just like well if I don't have anyone see this, I'm not getting out of the water, I tried my best.'

The schoolgirl was rescued by someone on another boat and Brumit, a member of the 7th Special Forces Group, was helped by another soldier before being rushed to hospital.

Rescue bid: Brumit jumped into the waves at Crab Island, near Destin, Florida, amid stormy conditions after hearing screams that a 13-year-old girl was in trouble in the water

Determination: The soldier has refused to be beaten, vowing to do everything in his power to walk again

Battling adversity: Tim Brumit is a member of the 7th Special Forces Group, was helped by another soldier before being rushed to hospital

Bravery: Tim Brumit has been left paralyzed from the neck down after diving into the sea to try and save a girl from drowning

After arriving at Baptist Hospital after the accident on Saturday July 25, it was not clear whether he would be able to use his limbs again.

But the soldier has refused to be beaten, vowing to do everything in his power to walk again - and says he wants to go for a recovery in a 'record time'.

He told Wear-TV: 'I've been through tougher. This is not gonna set me back.'

Support: Tim is pictured here on July 31 with his two children who have been by their dad's side as he recovers from the accident

Fed Barona, who also survived a shallow water diving accident went to the hospital to offer Fed support

On a Facebook page 'Tim Brumit Updates' which is detailing the soldier's progress he is pictured with well-wisher Fed Barona who went to the hospital to meet Tim.

Fed also survived a shallow water diving accident that resulted in a damaged cervical spine and said that he believed in helping others who had experienced similar accidents.

Fed said: 'Five years ago I too jumped into the water off of a pier at Pensacola Beach. I grew up in these waters and knew better, but I was preoccupied with what I was doing and didn't think. I jumped head first into about 2 feet of water.

'I crushed my four and five cervical vertebrae and was instantly paralyzed. After A LOT of hospital time, prayer, personal faith and determination, I was blessed to be restored to what appears to others to be a "full" recovery.

'I still have lots of issues that linger, but God has truly blessed me and my family with health as well as other things.'

The Facebook page said: 'I watched them together and their bond was immediate. Something I can not even imagine or try to understand. God was so good in sending Fed to Tim's side.'

A GoFundMe page set up to help pay for Brumit's medical bills in the months ahead has already raised more than $29,000.