The kindness of strangers: a surfer whose face I never saw saved me from drowning in a rip

8 hours ago 7

I had just finished school when I went to Brisbane to spend summer with an old friend. It was a scorching hot day when her father suggested a trip to the beach in Maroochydore. When we got there it was blustery and choppy, so we decided to go in the shallows.

Next thing I knew, the water was past my knees, then it was past my chest, and then it dragged me under. Even though I had grown up near the beach and had done plenty of swimming in my time, I’d never come across a rip before, so I had no idea what was happening. I kept trying to swim up to the top of the water, but I’d make it to the surface, take one breath, then get pulled back down. I now know you’re meant to swim sideways to escape a rip but at the time all I wanted to do was get to shore, and I was failing spectacularly.

This went on for quite a while, and I was getting very tired. It felt unreal, to go for a swim and a few moments later be drowning. I remember thinking: my mother is going to be very annoyed with me for dying.

I was quite far out from the shore at this point and the last time I made my way to the surface, I heard a voice say, “Do you need a hand?” I was too out of breath to speak so I just nodded and this person, a surfer on his board, pulled me out and took me to the beach. I didn’t even see his face because I was so focused on getting to shore. Once I stumbled back on to the sand I didn’t tell my friend what had happened, too embarrassed to speak up and not wanting to spoil her day.

If that surfer hadn’t grabbed me, I’m sure I would have drowned, as so many Australians do at the beach. That would have been the end of my story. I was 18 then and I’m 74 now. I’ve had a long, happy and productive life thanks to that stranger whose face I never saw. I’d like to thank him from the bottom of my heart.