Kenneth receives appreciation award for his heroic rescue
RICHARDS Bay businessman Kenneth Hodgson has been honoured with a ‘Drowning Prevention Appreciation Award’ following his heroic rescue of a young girl in the Cape last year.
He received the accolade at Lifesaving South Africa’s awards dinner held in Durban last weekend.
Kenneth had been surfing with his son Mitchell in Small Bay near Bloubergstrand in October last year when the incident took place.
‘Three young girls were being washed out into the ocean and a number of people set out to try and rescue them,’ said Kenneth.
‘One was slightly closer to shore and two were drifting further out.
‘I headed out on my board to the one who was the farthest away.’
Being trained, super fit and fast in the water, he soon reached the teen, known only as Bianca, who by this time was already floating face down in the water.
‘I pumped water from her lungs and she spewed it out and then looked at me with wide eyes.
‘I managed to get her onto the surfboard and safely to the beach.
‘All I can say is that it was a miracle of time and place,’ he said.