‘I Didn’t Think I Was a Hero’: 13-Year-Old Australian Boy Swims for Hours to Save Family
A 13-year-old Australian boy who swam for hours through open sea to get help after his family was swept offshore has said he never thought of himself as a hero.
Austin Appelbee told the BBC he was simply doing what he felt he had to do after his mother and two younger siblings were left clinging to paddleboards off the coast of Western Australia.
“I didn’t think I was a hero – I just did what I did,” he said.
Austin had no idea whether his mother, Joanne, 47, his brother Beau, 12, and sister Grace, eight, were still alive when he finally reached shore after a gruelling four-hour swim.
The family had been enjoying a day at the beach near Quindalup, in Geographe Bay, when strong winds picked up and carried them further out to sea. What began as shallow-water paddling quickly turned into a dangerous situation.
“We lost oars, and we just kept drifting further and further out,” Joanne said. “It all went wrong very, very quickly.”
Realising they needed help, Joanne sent Austin back toward shore in a kayak. Unbeknown to the family, the kayak was damaged and taking on water.
“It started flipping, I lost an oar, and I knew I was in trouble,” Austin recalled. “I started paddling with my arm.”
After the kayak capsized for the final time, Austin clung to it before deciding to swim on alone. By then, he had been in the water for several hours and had lost sight of his family.
As daylight faded and waves grew larger, Joanne feared her son had not survived. At the same time, she struggled to keep Beau and Grace on the paddleboards as they drifted further offshore, eventually reaching about 14 kilometres (8.5 miles) from land. The family had life jackets but no food or water.
“I assumed Austin hadn’t made it,” Joanne said. “As the hours went on, there was nothing coming to save us.”
Meanwhile, Austin swam the final four kilometres to shore, eventually abandoning his life jacket because it was slowing him down. He said prayer, music and thoughts of his family helped him keep going.
“When I hit the sand, I thought, how am I on land right now – is this a dream?” he said.
At around 6pm local time, Austin reached his mother’s bag on the beach and called emergency services, triggering a large-scale search. Exhausted, he later collapsed and was taken to hospital, still unaware whether his family had survived.
Only hours later did Joanne spot a rescue boat. She and the two children were pulled from the water after a 10-hour ordeal at sea.
Minutes after Austin arrived at hospital, he received the news that his family had been found alive.
“It was a moment I will never forget,” he said.
All four were treated for minor injuries and later discharged. Austin has since returned to school, though he remains on crutches due to severe leg pain.
Rescue crews described his actions as “superhuman”. Paul Bresland, commander of the Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue Group, praised the teenager’s endurance, while police said his determination and courage saved lives.
Austin, however, insists the credit belongs to the emergency responders.
“It was a tough battle,” he said, “but I’m just grateful everyone is safe.”
