WIND SURF SURVIVOR :‘ NEVER GIVE UP, NO MATTER WHAT[
Win dsurfer Loren zo gives than ks to all who helped him overcome his greatest en duran ce test
‘NEVER give up, no matter how bad it might look – there is always hope.’
Take it from miracle man Lorenzo Cubeddu and wife Amanda. That’s their life-affirming message this week following an experience so extraordinary that it resulted in the couple’s winning appearance on The Late Late Show on Friday to relate it all to the nation.
Just five days earlier Lorenzo had been literally battling for his life, adrift by night far off the coast of his North Kerry homeplace amid 3 to 4m swells; while Amanda had been frantically keeping vigil on the cliffs in an ordeal every bit as emotional.
Somehow Lorenzo came through it, famously landing under cliffs on the Clare coast after seven hours in the water - his long climb and walk to safety near elevating the story to a mythic level.
But the modest Sardinian and his wife are this week focused solely on paying tribute to the efforts of others - the extraordinary bravery of the volunteer and professional rescuers and the massive support they received from so many in their community.
At one point Amanda was surrounded by locals on the clifftops with at least one older couple kneeling and praying for Lorenzo’s rescue.
The delivery man (Lorenzo drives for Cahill’s Supervalu in Ballybunion) would eventually be delivered himself, but believes it was only through the prayers of others and the power of his God.
“Basically I’m a survivor. I’m lucky, all I did was try to stay alive but the real heroes were all the people looking for me and praying. It was overwhelming really,” Lorenzo said.
Along with Amanda they gave thanks to all this week: “Major thanks to the Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue, I know a lot of them have their own families but risked their lives abseiling down the cliffs and everything,” Amanda said, adding:
“Thanks to the Ballybunion Gardaí, they were exceptional. Sgt Mick McCarthy and Gdas Damien Ryan and Noel McCarthy were an incredible support and at no point did they say ‘give up’.
“The Ballybunion Coastguard, the Kerry Fire and Rescue Service, the Fenit and Kilrush RNLI, the Navy crew of the LE Niamh which was in the area and, of course, the Shannon Coastguard Rescue 115 helicopter, thank you all so much.
“To Mike Enright, who spoke to Lorenzo as he was going out and who raised the alarm having been keeping watch on him, a massive thanks too.
“Lorenzo’s employers Cormac and Elaine Cahill at Supervalu and all the staff there were just amazing. Cormac is beyond a boss. The friends who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with hope and prayers giving me enormous strength. To the Listowel Christian Fellowship, there were so many from the community - including one elderly couple who kneeled and prayed openly on the cliffs. The response was just incredible. Me and Lorenzo are getting great credit but we got it through the Man above, through our friends, the gardaí and all the services. It was a miracle,” Amanda said. Lorenzo is still processing the whole ordeal: “I’m happy to be alive but you must take time to recover and absorb as my wife has had some health issue. We are uncomfortable with the limelight this brought. But if we can give anyone hope out there, whatever they might be going through it will be good. That’s my main message. Never give up, no matter how bad it might look – there is always hope. Never surrender, say ‘Yes’. As humans we are capable of incredible things. I’m just overwhelmed with the support and love.”