A regular work night turned into a near-death experience for Peter Giusti, a ride-share driver in Isle of Palms, South Carolina. On a rainy Saturday evening, Giusti’s car accidentally plunged into Morgan Creek during a downpour, but thanks to the quick thinking of two bystanders, he is alive to tell the story.
Stormy Night Takes a Sudden Turn
Peter Giusti was finishing up his last ride of the night. He had agreed to pick up a group of people stranded in the rain, trying to get as close as possible to them so they wouldn’t have to walk through the storm. It was dark, pouring heavily, and visibility was almost zero.
As he made a right turn near the Isle of Palms Marina, everything changed.
“All of a sudden, the front of my car went off a ledge,” Giusti recalled. “I started floating, and within seconds, I was underwater.”
Two Local Heroes Step In
Just moments after his car fell into the water, Robert Heaton and his friend Brandon jumped in to help. They didn’t waste time—both went into the water and reached the car, trying to get Giusti out.
“The first thing I told him was to take his seatbelt off,” Heaton shared. “We were both under the water. I was holding his head up, trying to unclip the seatbelt. I just remember praying in that moment.”
Thanks to their brave efforts, Giusti was pulled to safety before the car sank deeper into Morgan Creek.
A Close Call That Left a Mark
Although Giusti walked away with only minor physical injuries, the emotional impact has been much deeper.
“I say I’m okay, but I can’t get it out of my head,” he said. “The two people… they saved my life. Period. I was underwater.”
He now wants to personally thank Robert and Brandon by inviting them to dinner and continuing their conversation in a calmer setting.
Not the First Time It’s Happened
This is not the first time a car has ended up in Morgan Creek. In a similar incident last September, two restaurant employees rescued a couple whose vehicle also fell into the same creek. Thankfully, they too were unharmed.
With such repeated accidents, Giusti hopes that officials take action. He strongly believes that warning signs or clear barriers should be installed at the spot to prevent more drivers from making the same mistake.
A Reminder for All Drivers
Giusti’s experience serves as a powerful reminder about the dangers of driving in extreme weather, especially at night in unfamiliar areas. Heavy rain can make it almost impossible to see where the road ends, and one wrong turn can lead to disaster.
Here are a few tips for safe driving during such conditions:
Avoid driving at night during heavy rain if possible
Reduce your speed and turn on headlights
Don’t try to drive through water or unfamiliar paths
Stay alert and trust your instincts—if unsure, stop
Be especially cautious near marinas, creeks, and low-lying areas
What started as a simple act of kindness—picking up stranded passengers—turned into a life-threatening experience for Peter Giusti. But thanks to the courage of two strangers, the story had a happy ending. Now, Peter wants to pay it forward and hopes his experience leads to better safety measures for others. In the end, it’s not just about being careful—it’s about looking out for each other when it counts the most.
