A PLANE!
Western Australian dad, Max Sylvester, 29, was having a flying lesson in a tw oseater Cessna when his instructor suddenly slumped in his seat.
With the instructor unconscious and leaning on his shoulder in the tiny cockpit, Max radioed the flight tower and alerted them to the emergency.
The air traffic controller immediately began coaching the frightened dad of three.
‘Do you know how to operate the airplane?’ the ATC asked.
‘This is my fir st lesson,’ Max replied.
For the next 50 minutes, Max circled the runway, becoming familiar with the controls and what was involved in landing safely.
Nervously watching on from the ground at Jandakot Airport, was Max’s wife and three kids.
In true Aussie spirit, Max still managed to crack a joke despite being in such a frightening situation.
‘I hope they don’t think
I’m paying for this flight,’ Max quipped.
Finally, Max brought the Cessna safely back to earth.
‘You’re down on the ground. You did it mate, well done!’ applauded the ATC.
The owner of the flight school had nothing but praise for the tower and Max, describing it as a perfect landing.
It was a busy week for Holly McNally. In February this year, she went into labour with baby number four.
Twenty-six minutes later, Holly, 35, delivered little Connor herself before doctors could get to her hospital room.
Three days after that, while driving home from visiting Connor in the NICU, Holly spotted a truck on fire, on the highway.
‘I slowed down, and I saw the actual semi on fir e, and I looked to the front of the semi and I see a man on fire,’ Holly told Fox 59.
Bystanders were filming the inferno, but no-one seemed to be helping the man, so Holly pulled over and ran to his aid.
Jeff Denman, 59, had managed to get himself out of the truck, and when Holly reached him she w as joined by another man, Mitch Navarre.
Holly and Mitch quickly put out the flames on Jeff’s body.
That’s when Holly smelt something that made her blood run cold.
‘I said, “Jeff… what were you hauling?” And he said, “Jet fuel”,’ Holly recalls.
With the flames growing more intense, and 4000 gallons of fuel swirling around their feet, Holly and Mitch managed to drag Jeff to safety before the truck exploded for a second time.
Holly’s thoughts kept going back to her three children at home and newborn baby Connor, but she says not helping ne ver crossed her mind.
‘I thought what if that’s Connor when he’s 30?’ Holly says.
‘Would you want somebody to just leave him there?’
Be careful
Tread lightly; maybe sleep on it for a night or two, then maybe bring up the subject of boys and chat about the dangers and precautions one needs to take when online. I wouldn’t confront her – it’s a bad move, that one.
No computers in the bedrooms
Don’t allow your children to have computers in their room.
You need to have them out in the open so you can keep an eye on who your daughter is talking to and what they are talking about. It’s a sad world, but you have to keep your daughter safe. Good luck.
A parent, not a friend
You are her parent and a lot more savvy to the online traps a child can fall into – and make no mistake, a daughter at 13 is still a child. You have to be her parent not her friend.
With everyone staying home during the pandemic, my 13-year-old daughter has been spending more time online. At first, I wasn’t too worried because it was keeping her connected with her friends.
But one night, after she’d gone
to bed, I saw her Facebook was
still open. I know I shouldn’t have looked, but I did and she’s been exchanging intimate messages with a boy who looks a bit older than her. She’s never mentioned a boy to me, so I’m worried
and want to confront her about
it t o make sure she’s safe, but I
know she’ll be furious that I snooped and I may never regain her
trust.
You need to be monitoring her online activity – especially now kids are home full-time and spending probably far too much time online. Red flags should be going up all over the place in your mind. Don’t let this become a ‘should have’ after the damage is done. Parent now and get to the bottom of what is going on and monitor this online activity going forward.
Beware of grooming
I would rather be in my child’s bad books than find out they have been groomed. Obviously there are options, but 13-year-olds don’t always make smart choices. I would say to her that you’ve found some interesting things you’d like her to read, such as Carly Ryan’s story. It will hopefully make her see how easily things can go bad.
Creepy people around
I was monitoring my daughter’s Facebook at 13, and the only way she was allowed social media was if I had her password. I still have access to her Facebook and she’s now 16. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a protective parent. There are a lot of creeps on the net.
Cut off the internet
Get a grip mum; turn off the internet.
Better to be safe
She is a 13-year-old child. Act like a parent before it’s too late; better safe than sorry. Be an adult and protect her.