Australia: 8-Year-Old Boys Save Drowning Man At Beach

ADELAIDE, Australia — Two 8-year-old boys in a young lifeguards training program rescued a man who was struggling in the ocean off Australia's east coast.

Jake Satherley told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio that he and friend Spencer Jeams saw a middle-aged man having trouble Sunday off Northcliffe beach, in Queensland state.

"We saw him put his hand up and saying, 'help, help,' so we went over to him and pulled him on our board," Satherley said Monday.

The boys are part of the under-14 lifeguard training program at Northcliffe Life Saving Club.

Club president David Shields said he'd never seen a rescue like it.

"They really did perform well above their years," he told ABC. "We're just so proud of them and the way they acted instinctively."

Nearly 50,000 Australian children ages 5 to 13 are enrolled in junior life saving programs, according to Surf Life Saving Australia.

Comments

[LiberalBuzz]

12:10 PM on 01/13/2010

Good for those kids and great for Australia to have such a program for it's children.

Can you imagine what would happen if we instituted such a program in this country? The GOP and Fakenews would lose their everhating minds.They'd be screaming socialism, communism, forced programs of an agenda to undermine American values, anti Christian and manage somehow to claim it's part of the gay agenda.

[Annespeaks]

02:38 PM on 02/17/2010

I grew up in Australia - we would follow those 'nipper' life saving programs on the weekends - it was so much fun! lots of competitions, new skills and general outdoor fun. We all learned to surf, body surf and extensive life saving skills - it's important in a country where over 95% of the population lives by the water and the ocean is very rough.

[Cuthach]

05:24 PM on 01/12/2010

Baywatch: Kids! anyone?

[SFBunkSurf]

02:42 PM on 01/12/2010

Hooray! Go on youngsters!!

[v eyepete]

01:26 PM on 01/12/2010

Good work boys. The world needs more heros!

[m a x]

12:46 PM on 01/12/2010

didn't even read the article, did you?

[beihai]

12:40 PM on 01/12/2010

While the kids should be commended, I don't think it is such a good idea to make it so widely known, lest there are other kids who would be tempted to play hero. This could very well have been a tragedy of 2 children drowned trying to save adult swimmer. Don't get me wrong, I think water safety techniques are essential but the childrens' first response should have been to notify an adult.

[m a x]

12:47 PM on 01/12/2010

didn't even read the article, did you?

[SFBunkSurf]

02:42 PM on 01/12/2010

Too much thought behind this one... There's no what if's, the boys saved his life and I don't think he'd scold them after being pulled from the drink.