Unsung lifesavers
THE actions of lifesavers can have a profound ripple effect which is rarely acknowledged.
But on Wednesday night, South African surfing legend Shaun Tomson, a guest speaker at the Lifesaving SA function at the Beverly Hills Hotel in uMhlanga, provided insight into a few moments in time which highlighted how one lifesaver ensured his existence.
In 1946, his father Ernie, a Durban lifesaver and a sprint swimming champion, was attacked by a shark while surfing of South Beach when he was 21-years-old.
The incident took place on February 16, a typically hot summer’s day in the city. The sea was calm and described by the press at the time as “an ideal day for body surfing”.
In media reports from the Daily News in 1946, Ernie Tomson described the attack.
“It was getting late, but I decided to go in for one more slide. I began swimming out with my board in my right hand. About 10 yards behind me were two other swimmers.
“Suddenly I felt something come shooting underneath me. For a moment I thought it was a friend trying to catch my leg. And then I felt my shoulder in a vicious grip. The terrific speed at which the shark was travelling lifted me from the water. My right arm was flung out and it seemed as if it had been torn from its socket. The surfboard was hurled some yards away.
“Then I saw the shark leap out of the water. It was about the size of a man.
“At first I was absolutely panic-stricken. I started shouting madly and kicked my legs. I was worried it would attack again. By this time my wound had left a long trail of blood which I thought would attract my attacker or other sharks in the vicinity. I resigned myself to my fate.”
The two other swimmers who had been behind him swam “furiously for the shore” and it was volunteer lifesaver Brian Viljoen who dived into the water and swam to the injured Ernie, helping him stay afloat while another lifesaver, Des Collopy, swam out to the two men and Ernie was taken to the beach.
“The lifesavers were really magnificent and to them I owe my life,” said Ernie.
In a state of collapse but still conscious, he was rushed to Addington Hospital. His right arm was badly lacerated and the bicep muscle was removed to the bone. He spent six weeks in hospital recovering from the attack.
Shaun Tomson said his father’s injury ended his hopes of competing in the Olympics in swimming and he could never surf again, although he did continue to swim.
“He loved the ocean and he loved the beach, he was never bitter about the attack. His saying was ‘I’ll never turn my back on the ocean’. He always remained very involved in surfing and started the Gunston 500 surf competition,” said Shaun Tomson.
At the function, Princess Charlene of Monaco was appointed patron of Lifesaving South Africa.
President Dylan Tommy said: “With the princess as our patron and the partnership we have established with the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, we will be able to achieve far greater success in our fight against drowning in South Africa.”
Since its inception in 1913, Lifesaving SA has saved more than 120 000 people and has over 3 500 volunteer lifeguards.