Mother Who Gave Her Life to Rescue Child Is Eulogized

Relatives and friends of Charla Johnson said the Fountain Valley woman never sought thanks or notice for the things she did for others.

But a week ago, she thrust herself into public view when she gave her own life while saving her daughter, Christie, from the strong rip currents at Huntington Beach.

“I don’t think it was heroic at all because her kids and I were so important,” Johnson’s husband, Stephen, said Thursday. “If one of us was in trouble, she was going to go get him.”

Charla Johnson, 32, had taken some of her children and a few of their friends to Huntington Beach last Friday to belatedly celebrate Christie’s 11th birthday. When Christie got caught in the rip current, Mrs. Johnson went to the water’s edge to call out instructions. When that didn’t work, she ran into the water and pushed Christie to safety. Christie made it to shore immediately, but her mother apparently lost her footing and drowned.

Two nearby surfers were able to pull Mrs. Johnson from the water, but life-saving attempts failed and she was pronounced dead on arrival at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach.

Stephen Johnson, 36, arrived on the beach just as the ambulance was taking his wife of almost 15 years away.

“She was very special,” Johnson said in an emotional voice Thursday. “She just tried to help people, and she didn’t want any credit for it. She didn’t want people to see her, but see Jesus.”

The Johnsons were devout “born-again” Christians who were active members at the First Baptist Church of Huntington Beach-Fountain Valley.

About 600 people attended funeral services Tuesday for Mrs. Johnson. Among them were relatives, members of her church and friends who knew her from the Fountain Valley School District where her five children attended schools and from Edison High School in Huntington Beach where her husband is head of the science department.

The Rev. Douglas Jefferey, who conducted the services, said that in his “34 years in the ministry” he had never seen such a large turnout for a funeral at his church. “It was impressive because of who she was.” Jefferey said Charla Johnson placed herself fifth in importance.

“Jesus Christ was No. 1. Her husband was second. Her children were third. Others were fourth. And she was fifth,” he said, repeating words from his sermon.

“She died the way she lived. She gave herself to her children so that they could live not knowing that there was a possibility (her death) might happen. But even if she was aware, she would have done it.”

“She never sought notoriety and was always a giving person,” Jefferey said.

Johnson said his wife “stayed home and took care of the kids and was proud of that.”

Sandy Rouintree, a close friend of the Johnsons and a secretary at the First Baptist Church said, “You had to be careful about saying you had things to do because she would do them.” Rouintree said she attended Bible study sessions that Charla Johnson helped to lead on Wednesdays at her house.

At the time of the drowning, there were no lifeguards in the nearby towers.

Jack Roggenbuck, chief lifeguard for Huntington State Beach, said regular lifeguards were patrolling the beaches in vehicles Friday. The seasonal lifeguards who work in the watchtowers on weekends will move to full-time status when school is out and the beaches get crowded.

“We’re not in gear for summer crowds yet,” Roggenbuck said. “We do have signs that warn about conditions and (that) there are no lifeguards on duty (in the towers).”

Roggenbuck recalled that there was one drowning last year involving a man who overdosed on drugs. But, he said, the most common rescues for lifeguards at Huntington State Beach, which has 15 towers, are those involving rip currents and shore holes.

“It could have happened anywhere on the beach,” Roggenbuck said. “(Rip currents) are nothing that sucks people. It’s actually water leaving the beach because the surf is pulling it up and back into the open ocean.

“The beach is a changing environment. One day you can be there, and the bottom is smooth. One week later there are hole trenches,” he explained.

Roggenbuck said he recommends that swimmers caught in rip currents swim at a 45-degree angle toward the beach instead of trying to go against the current and “tiring yourself out.”

Stephen Johnson said he cannot blame anyone or anything for his wife’s death.

“I’m not upset about it. I’m sure my wife knew there were no lifeguards there. She wasn’t an active swimmer. . . . I don’t know why she died. God has a purpose for everything. I don’t understand it, and it’s not something I’m going to be dwelling about. It’s over and done with.”

In addition to her husband and Christie, Mrs. Johnson is survived by her children, David, Michelle, Jennifer and Jeffrey, whose ages range from 6 to 13.

A trust fund has been set up for the children through the First Baptist Church of Huntington Beach-Fountain Valley at 17415 Magnolia St. in Fountain Valley.