Praise flows for surf rescue hero
The police labelled local man Dudley Andrews a hero after he rescued two small boys off 90 Mile Beach at Waipapakauri Ramp on Sunday (‘Heroic’ rescue on 90 Mile Beach, March 3), and plenty of people agree with them.
As of yesterday afternoon the story had been shared from the Northland Age website 2400 times and had been read (on the Northland Age Facebook page) by 31,424 people, many of those who commented heaping praise and congratulations on Mr Andrews. Comments included: Gavin Scirkovich: Now that’s what I call forgetting oneself in the service of others. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man (is willing to) lay down his life for his friends.
Charlie: Awesome. I hope the Whanau of those two kids shouts you out to a good feed/night out. Well done.
Memory Edmonds: Good on you Dudley. It’s just as well your training in the Army helped you keep remain calm. Thanks to you two lives have been saved. Bless you young man.
Edna Murray: Way to go Dudley. Gosh, had enough of hearing and read- ing about our beaches in the spotlight over preventable tragedies.
Michelle Beer: Right place, right time, right guy. Thank God he was there. What an awesome guy!
Lexii Ashby Mana: Well done mate. You absolutely deserve a medal! That man can thank his lucky stars you were watching and acted the way you did. Kudos to you.
Eli Blackmore: Someone give that man a VC!
Mau Tep: What an awesome man. Had me in tears of joy and relief that he made it just in time for these young boys that could have been any one of our babies. He saved a family from a lot of heart ache.
Cee Tee Kahotea: The Far North is a great resource for hearty, fit and enthusiastic soldiers. For you mothers, aunties and uncles stressin bout your young ones up to no good or those looking for something bigger and better . . . there’s positive opportunities in the Defence Force. There’s a lot more to it than what’s in the current media. Well done bro and hope the kids are safe. Could’ve been a really sad and unnecessary outcome. Craig Fryer: True hero. ***** Meanwhile the Ninety Mile Beach Surfcasting Club also made a contribution to the response. The club members who arrived at the Ramp for the competition day weigh-in at about the time the alarm was raised included no fewer than five firefighters from Kaitaia and Ahipara, and one ambulance officer, who helped keep the children warm and comforted until an ambulance arrived from Pukenui.