He said he’s been a lifeguard there for seven years, and he’s seven years old. He’s quite the professional, and will tell you his favorite things are saving people and his lifeguard partners, Kevin and Andrew.
His least favorite parts of the job? Being told he’s “cute” and taking pictures. But it’s all part of the job for Cooper Warne.
“He’s been following the lifeguards around for many years. This year he finally made a few friends and got a few items to wear to become a lifeguard himself,” Cooper’s dad, Matt Warne, said.
Warne brings Cooper, his daughter and wife to Ocean Lakes Family Campground for a little over two weeks every summer. He said they come back sporadically other times throughout the year.
“He’s on his bike riding as hard as he can go to get down here to park his bike to get out here. Every morning he gets up and says ‘I’ve got to go to work,’ so he’s super excited every day,” Warne said.
Cooper knows just about every lifeguard rule and is popular among the other daily beachgoers for the week. Many of them told WMBF News about Cooper.
“The first day with Cooper was about two-and-a-half weeks ago. He just came up when I was sitting in my tower, and he says ‘I help the lifeguards out every year,’ Lack’s Beach Service lifeguard Kevin Cope said with a laugh. “I thought it was just going to be for a few days, but then it turned into two-and-a-half weeks. But he was just a pretty cool guy in the beginning, he knew all the rules already, so I didn’t really have to do too much.”
Although Cooper has been a lifeguard in the Ocean Lakes beach area for years, this year his duty was different because he was awarded a pint-sized uniform, which he wore every day, even ironing his shirt before “work.”
“He definitely keeps you on your toes, sometimes it feels like he’s training you,” Cope explained.
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