COURAGE AND SELFLESS ACT BY FRENCH HERO

ON Thursday, December 21, a tragic drowning at Skenes Creek beach resulted in a father and husband losing his life in the surf.

One can only imagine how the family feels and it is obvious that there are many people grieving with the family.

On that day an accidental hero did what she could to rescue the father and one of the sons.

We have a holiday house at Skenes Creek and we saw the drama from a distance, but we had an opportunity to talk to a young French workingholiday lady who, with her two backpacking colleagues, were hailed down by the distraught family.

The backpackers stopped their vehicle and one of the ladies ran into the surf, brought the father to shore and returned to the waves to rescue the son.

She then proceeded with CPR on the father while her friends rang the police and ambulance.

The ambulance crew took over CPR and our French heroine withdrew with her friends to the car park and soon after were on their way to Lorne.

Her selflessness and courage in the face of the tragedy deserves recognition by the authorities and the highest praise.

Not only did she put her own life at risk, but she also lost her jacket which held her credit cards and earrings.

I could not have been more impressed with this foreign guest to Australia and even though my wife and I provided some brief respite for them, they were soon gone and I don’t even know her name.

On behalf of many Victorians, thank you for everything you did. Graham McConnell, Elwood