A 13-year-old boy from Australia has gone viral after a superhuman display of heroics rescued his family after they drifted out to sea. And this is one of a million reasons why you won’t catch this writer out on the ocean or any other large body of water. That, and an irrational fear of giant squid. I don’t care what anyone says, the kraken is real.
The boy’s family went out on the water last Friday morning using kayaks and paddleboards, but weather conditions took a turn and pushed them too far from shore, leaving them unable to make it back. Austin Appelbee, 13, then swam 2.5 miles back to shore to get help and rescue his family, a swim that ultimately took him hours to complete due to huge waves and strong winds.
“The waves are massive and I have no life jacket on… I just kept thinking ‘just keep swimming, just keep swimming,’” Appelbee said about his astounding display of strength and bravery. “And then I finally made it to shore, hit the bottom of the beach, and just collapsed.”
Austin first tried to reach shore in one of the kayaks, but it soon began taking on water, forcing him to abandon it. He ditched his life jacket after it proved more of a hindrance than a help. Once the teen reached shore, he contacted authorities, who then deployed a helicopter to rescue the rest of his family.
Swimming more than two miles in a hostile ocean filled with dangers and a high risk of drowning would make most grown men cower in fear. But Austin clearly possesses an extraordinary amount of courage. Kids like this deserve praise for their heroics and coverage by media outlets around the world as examples of what it looks like to stare fear straight in the eye and tell it to… well, you know.
Austin’s mother, Joanne Appelbee, his 12-year-old brother Beau, and his 8-year-old sister Grace were rescued several hours after he left them to get help. By the time the helicopter reached the family, they had drifted nearly 8.5 miles from shore.
“I didn’t think I was a hero — I just did what I did,” he said in an interview with the BBC. “I was thinking about mum, Beau, and Grace. I was also thinking about my friends and my girlfriend — I have a really good bunch of friends,” Appelbee added. “When I hit the floor I thought, how am I on land right now — is this a dream?”
Appelbee credited God with his rescue, saying that he spent two hours in prayer, thinking of Christian songs and happy thoughts, telling the Lord that if He saved him and his family, he would get baptized. The following Sunday after the ordeal, he went to church.
Joanne, his mother, said she struggled with the decision to let him attempt the perilous journey.
“One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make was to say to Austin: ‘Try and get to shore and get some help. This could get really serious really quickly,’” she told reporters.
Inspector James Bradley of the South West District Office released a statement about the incident, saying, “The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised highly enough — his determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings. This incident reminds us that ocean conditions can change rapidly. Thankfully, all three people wore life jackets, which contributed to their survival.”
Rescuers described the teen’s actions as “superhuman.” Medical personnel evaluated the family and treated them for minor injuries. Thankfully, none of them required hospitalization. Appelbee briefly used crutches due to sore legs.
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