Meet Otago’s serial hero
Coming to the rescue is something Regan Healey is becoming familiar with.
Healey, of Alexandra in Central Otago, was one of two men who waded into a Central Otago lake to rescue a man in his 60s whose car plunged into the water on Thursday. It was his second life-saving act in the past three years after saving a choking 9-year-old in 2016.
Healey said he was travelling towards Alexandra on State Highway 8 when he noticed a ute swerving across the road.
‘‘There was something wrong — then I saw [the driver] in my rear vision mirror going down a steep bank. I spun around and went down.
‘‘I thought, ‘it’s going to be a bad one’, but fortunately the vehicle stayed on all four wheels and managed to avoid all the picnic tables, concrete rubbish bin and other things going down and didn’t flip over – then it would have been totally different.’’
The ute travelled about 20 metres into Lake Dunstan at the popular freedom camping spot, Champagne Gully.
‘‘The vehicle was about bonnet depth when I jumped in.’’
Healey’s friend, Benji Saunders, had been travelling behind him and also went to help the man.
‘‘Benji had ripped the door open and was just getting him out of the driver’s side. I was helping. The man was conscious and coherent.
‘‘I was able to get him to the bank and administer first aid until the ambulance got there – I was just doing what needed to be done.’’
His job as a linesman for Delta required regular emergency training, which helped, as had his time with the Alexandra Volunteer Fire Brigade.
Three years ago, Healey saved a 9-yearold choking on a hunk of meat at a restaurant in Auckland.
‘‘As I got to him he went unconscious, but I got him sorted and he is here today.’’