Eleven-year-old rescues boy in trouble at Durban North Beach
Kelso Bolton, from Glenashley, is only in grade six but he did not hesitate to jump in when he noticed another beachgoer in trouble.
Too often we hear of tragic beach accidents or swimming incidents and we forget to share and celebrate remarkable stories like this one.
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Over the Easter weekend, Kelso Bolton was enjoying his time at the beach and surfing near the Durban North Beach pier when he noticed something that seemed a bit odd to him.
He was out in the water, paddling out to catch another wave, when he saw a young boy that seemed to have been in some trouble.
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Kelso told Northglen News that he spotted the boy in the water and he knew there was a strong riptide, so he asked him if he was okay. The boy seemed to be bobbing in the water, breathing heavily, and having some difficulty in the water. When Kelso approached him he also appeared unresponsive and a little panicked.
I offered him my surfboard and asked him to grab hold of it. We weren’t that far from shore but it was too deep to stand up in so he rested while holding on to my board. I then waited for the next wave to push him on my board out of the danger zone. One of the beachgoers on the pier spotted what was happening and alerted the boy’s father. Once he got closer to shore his dad was able to pull him out of the water.
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He also explained that even he had experienced some trouble with the strong tide when he was pulled in, but luckily remembered his lifesaving training from when he was at Pirates Surf Lifesaving Club, and he was able to calmly tread water on his back, which prevented him from exhausting himself and using all his energy.
Kelso said that it all happened very quickly and it only took a few minutes, but he was very happy he intervened.
I managed to get out of the riptide and get back to my board. I remember as I was pushing the young boy back to the safety of the shore him saying ‘thank you'. I’m not sure what happened before the boy was pulled into the riptide but I think he was surfing with his dad.
Congratulations to Kelso Bolton who has made both the Virginia family and community proud! A young boy of around 11...
Posted by Virginia Preparatory School on Monday, 12 April 2021
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This story could have had a very different ending had it not been for Kelso being so brave. His quick thinking and immediately lending a helping hand saved the day!
And remember, while the ocean might be a lot of fun, you must always remain vigilant and be careful.
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Main image courtesy of Virginia Preparatory School/Facebook