Mother hails ‘hero’ Andrew who jumped in to save son Jack’s life
A MAN risked his own life to save that of a teenager who had jumped into the Slaney from Rafter Bridge in Enniscorthy to cool off.
Jack Furlong’s mother Emily, said rescuer Andrew Balfe was a hero.
Andrew suffered bad bruises and scrapes as he was being pulled by the fast-moving river over stones and other submerged objects during the rescue of the 15-year-old.
‘He jumped in to save Jack and almost lost his own life.’
Emily said she bundled Jack into her own car to take him to hospital because there was no ambulance immediately available and praised the role of Wexford General Hospital in his treatment after she arrived at the accident and emergency department.
‘Luckily I’m trained in CPR. He was very upset and wasn’t able to walk,’ she said, adding that she did not want to criticise the ambulance service for not having an ambulance available locally at the time of the accident ‘ because they are obviously very busy at this time of year’.
‘I want to publicly thank Andrew. Only for him where would I be now, I feel indebted to him,’ she said.
Two of Jack’s friends also tried to help during last Sunday’s incident. Darragh Cullen jumped in to try to help him while Stephen Sinnott ran to get Emily who lives at Nolan’s Wharf.
Emily said Jack, a student at St Mary’s CBS Enniscorthy, had gone to swim with a group of friends and was the first to jump in from the bridge.
She said his trousers got caught in the current which pulled him under the water, swelled by three or four days of heavy rain.
‘The sun comes out and everyone jumps in the river. It might look placid enough on the surface but there are dangerous currents underneath.’
Jack’s father Shane said his son’s rescuer was much smaller than his six foot tall son, who would have most probably died but for his brave act.
‘He was unconscious when he was rescued. He could have died,’ said Shane, urging the council to take measures to prevent people from jumping from the bridge.
Emily said there needed to be warnings put up around the bridge, warning people of the dangers.
‘There should have been warnings up, there should be something there. The danger needs to be highlighted.’
She said Jack was recovering well, but had got an awful fright and could still picture himself being dragged along under the water.