We hear them all the time, tales of people risking their own lives in order to help others escape danger. Some prime examples of these selfless heroes are police officers, firefighters, lifeguards, and doctors. Sometimes though, those lifesavers are not available in a pinch.
If something happens and these overt heroes are not available, then who can people rely on? The answer is each other. They say that deep down, everyone has the potential to be some kind of hero, well this story does more than prove it.
Surfing Friends
Tyler Reid, 11, his friend Felix Hall, and a third, unnamed friend of theirs were enjoying a fun-filled day of sun and surf. They were on Kawana Beach, along the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia – one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. They were out in the surf, resting on a sandbank when disaster struck.
Pulled And Pushed
The boys wandered pretty far, but inadvertently. The undertow was strong that day, uncommonly so, and it had taken them more than 600 meters south of the beach’s safety flags. By the time they realized what was happening, they were pulled into the riptide. The huge waves had caught them and were pushing and pulling them further and further out.
Happy Couple
Meanwhile, back on the beach, 31-year-old Rochell Blair and her fiancé Jonathan Clare were enjoying one of their usual strolls on the beach. They had their dog with them, as they always did, but had decided on this particular day to leave their cell phones at home. It was a decision that would come to haunt them afterward.
Sensing Something
As they walked along the beach, nonchalantly as ever, they could have sworn they heard something in the distance. At first, they thought it was just some kids playing nearby, but then their dog started to act a bit agitated. They heard it again, a series of blood-curdling screams and looked out to see the three lads struggling about 100 meters from shore.
No Time
Rochell and Jonathan’s first instinct was to reach into their pockets and grab their cell phones. Unfortunately, that was not exactly an option. A moment later and the engaged couple was in the water, swimming out to rescue the three struggling boys. They hadn’t even thought twice about it.
Jump Right In
Heedless of their own safety, the two dashed into the water, swimming past the crashing waves and fighting through the undetected undertow. They just thought that the surf was particularly rough that day, but as they made their way past the safety flags, they began to sense danger in a way they hadn’t noticed before.
Rescue Attempt
They ignored the growing unease and pushed onward. When they reached the boys, Jonathan decided that there was an obvious choice among them to help first. He grabbed hold of the lad and looked around for Rochell, who was out a bit farther than him and struggling to pull in the other two boys.
Keep Moving
At the same time, Rochell had things pretty well in hand. She was busy utilizing her skills as a former surf instructor to help the boys. She told them to stay on their backs, and to keep moving their arms and legs to keep themselves above the water. If any of them went under, the riptide would pull them further along.
Strong Undertow
Even as she was shouting instructions though, she was still trying her best to keep a distance from the boys. She didn’t want to risk herself being pulled with the boys into the insane undertow. She felt herself struggling to keep up the pace. She’d take three strokes back and find herself pulled out five more.
Keeping Afloat
Jonathan was experienced and so was Rochell for that matter, but neither of them had ever experienced a more brutal riptide than the one they and the boys were now facing. Even as Jonathan held onto the boys, he would feel as if someone was pulling down on his legs. He and his fiance were losing this fight as surely as the three kids.
Similar Danger
30 seconds passed with them attempting to bring the boys back to safety, and in that scant 30 seconds, the couple discovered they were now in just as much peril as their charges. The struggle to get out there should have been their first clue, but it wasn’t. They couldn’t even call for help without panicking the still worried 11-year-olds.
Jetski
Before they could even take a moment to contemplate their next options, Rochell turned to see a jet ski racing up to them. The jetski’s rider was Brisbane firefighter and long-time Kawana Surf Club member, Scot Edwards. Scott was a surf lifesaver who had been patrolling nearby when he saw the ensuing hullabaloo just offshore.
Gut Feeling
It was only a gut feeling that had led Scott to this particular southern beach this day. His patrol had initially been sending him northward, toward Maroochydore, but he’d decided to head the other way instead. Up to that point, he already had to warn a dozen swimmers to head back in between the safety flags and avoid the rips.
Minute to Spare
He was just finished warning another swimmer when he noticed the frantic waves 100 meters offshore. The waves were crashing in every direction and the boys were bobbing up and down in the furious surf. If he didn’t get out there soon, he was sure that every one of them would end up beneath the waves and carried helplessly out to sea.
Piled On, Sliding Off
Scott Edwards drove out into the surf and began pulling Rochell, Jonathan, and the boys onto the jetski with him. He piled them on, helping them to hold tight, but the waves kept rocking the device and they kept sliding off. It happened twice before he was able to get them all safely to the shore at last.
Safe at Last
Paramedics arrived to treat any injuries and transport all five of them to the hospital for observation. Despite being badly waterlogged, the couple and the boys were perfectly fine. The boys’ parents were called when they arrived at the hospital. Until those worrying phone calls, they had all of them been completely unaware of the situation.
Should’ve Known Better
Sarah-Jane Ross, Tyler’s mother, was told that her son was getting oxygen and that she needed to get there as soon as possible. Dave Hall, Felix’s dad, was not surprised that his son was out in the surf, as he was a good swimmer. But he was a bit disappointed to find that he was swimming outside the flags. Still, none of the parents were angry at the lads.
Reunited
The following week, the two boys and their parents met up at Kawana Surf Club to thank Rochell, Jonathan, and lifeguard Scott for saving their lives. The couple also took the opportunity to thank Scott as well. Hugs and flowers were passed around as the group relived the harrowing adventure.
A Thousand Thanks
For their part, the boys did not hold back. They thanked their rescuers furiously. “Thank you for saving our lives. We probably wouldn’t be here without you,” said Felix. All three boys have admitted that they learned their lesson about swimming past the flags, and thanks to Rochell and Jonathan, they learned to stay calm if it happens accidentally.
Lives In Danger
Sarah-Jane Ross was most upset that the boys’ actions had inadvertently put the lives of others in danger as well. “Just the repercussions of everything, that our kids put someone else’s life in danger as well. That was our main concern that they were okay, not just our own, because, without them, ours wouldn’t be here,” she explained to ABC news.
