Man saves child from drowning
A 10-year-old boy's near death has resulted in a man realising that he has chosen the correct career path.
Northmead resident Garreth Lomas (22), who recently completed his basic ambulance assistance course, will soon start work as a paramedic, knowing that he is on the right track, after having recently saved his first life.
Lomas saved the life of 10-year-old Daniel, in the town of Keningau, east Malaysia, earlier this year.
He was on a mission trip with the House of Lord Full Gospel Church, which is based in Northmead, when the incident occurred.
The church group, including people from a Malaysian church, were having a picnic by a river bank on July 21.
Lomas was taking photos of the people sitting on the rocks near the river when he took a photo of Daniel submerged in the water.
‘‘I felt the urge to jump in when I saw that no one else was ready to do it,’’ he said.
‘‘I thought I have to do something, or else this child dies.’’
‘‘I dropped my camera, checked my pockets for my cellphone and jumped in after the boy.’’
Lomas was in the water for a couple of minutes and wedged his knees between rocks to prevent him and the boy from being swept away by the raging river.
He managed to get the boy out of the water.
They were both unharmed.
Daniel told Lomas shortly after the incident: ‘‘Thank you for saving my life.’’
Lomas is intent on saving more lives when he works as a paramedic.
‘‘I want to help people when no one else can,’’ he explained.
