Teen Sells Lifesaving Tool After Friend's Tragic Death

One South Florida teen is taking a negative experience and putting a positive twist on it after her friend died when his car plunged into a canal. Now, this student wants to make sure this same thing doesn't happen to you.

Emilee Fenster, a junior at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, has been selling and providing a simple tool called “Resqme”, designed to help break a window or cut a seatbelt if your car should become submerged.

In 2015, her friend Matthew Salenieks – along with another teen – died when their car went into a canal and submerged upside down.

“Instead of just selling cookies or selling something that wouldn’t really benefit anyone in any way, I wanted to sell something and give something away that would help people out,” Fenster said.

Matthew's family says there is evidence that the young men tried to escape the car, but couldn't.

“Matthew was an engineer. He was taken from us,” said his father, Paul Salenieks. “We want to put more engineers back out there.”

Fenster and her mom are working alongside Matthew’s dad in starting a memorial foundation, already having raised $3,000 toward a scholarship fund. Anyone who wants more information on the tool or to make a donation can email matthewsalenieksmemorialfund@gmail.com. 

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