Teenager's Incredible Four-Hour Swim Saves Family From Ocean Peril
A 13-year-old boy has been hailed as a hero after swimming through treacherous waters for four hours to rescue his family, who had been swept out to sea off the coast of Western Australia. Austin Appelbee, who had just failed his swimming test that morning, undertook an astonishing journey equivalent to two marathons to reach help.
Family Holiday Turns Into Nightmare
The Appelbee family were enjoying a holiday in Quidalup, south-west Australia, when they set out on a kayak and inflatable paddleboards on Friday morning. Initially, conditions appeared calm, but the sea quickly became rough, flipping their kayak and causing it to sink. With no other options, Austin's mother, Joanne, made the difficult decision to send her son to shore for assistance.
Joanne recounted to ABC News: "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'. I knew he was the strongest and he could do it. I would have never went because I wouldn't have left the kids at sea, so I had to send somebody."
Austin's Superhuman Effort
Despite having failed his swimming test earlier that day, Austin embarked on a gruelling swim through choppy waters. He had to abandon both his kayak and lifejacket, which were hindering his progress, and focused on reaching land. Austin described his mindset during the ordeal: "The waves are massive and I have no life jacket on ... I just kept thinking 'just keep swimming, just keep swimming'."
Local resident Therese Colman, speaking to Metro, highlighted the extraordinary nature of Austin's feat: "Once you hit those waters it's a game-changer. Athletes train for months, even years, to participate in events like the Busselton Jetty Swim, and this teen swam that same distance, but in much deeper and stronger currents. He is the talk of the town at the moment and his efforts have been praised far and wide."
Rescue and Reunion
After four hours of swimming, Austin finally reached shore and managed to call emergency services before collapsing from exhaustion. He was taken to hospital, where he later awoke, unaware of his family's fate. Meanwhile, WA Water Police, a rescue helicopter, and Naturaliste Marine Rescue were dispatched to locate the family, who had spent up to 10 hours in the water.
The family was found 14km offshore, described as "cold, shaking and mentally-preparing to die", with one child, Beau, losing feeling in his legs. Joanne shared her fears during the ordeal: "As the sun went down, I thought something's gone terribly wrong here and my fear was that [Austin] didn't make it. Then as it got darker, yeah, I thought there was no one coming to save us."
Just five minutes before rescue, a large wave separated the children from their mother, but they were reunited as the rescue boat approached. Austin, still in hospital, expressed his guilt: "I thought they were dead. I had a lot of guilt in my heart. I thought 'Oh man I wasn't fast enough'."
Aftermath and Recovery
Austin is now on crutches due to sore legs, while the rest of the family suffer from blistering and bruising. Joanne reflected on the experience: "I just hope that [the experience] doesn't come back later on to hit them harder than what it should. I have three babies. All three of them made it. That was all that mattered."
This remarkable story underscores the importance of water safety and the incredible resilience of the human spirit, with Austin's actions being celebrated as a true act of heroism in the face of adversity.
