Umdloti man awarded prestigious medal for rescuing drowning child from sea
Lamb was celebrating a friend's birthday at a restaurant in Umdloti last year when he was alerted to the child experiencing difficulty offshore - he did not hesitate to rescue the child.
For his daring lifesaving rescue of a five-year-old boy last year, Umdloti resident Dax Lamb (47) was recently awarded the prestigious Mountbatten Medal.
The medal is awarded annually for the most gallant rescue or rescue attempt undertaken in the previous year by a resident of a Commonwealth nation.
Administered by the Royal Lifesaving Society in the UK, the medal has been presented since 1951 when a suitable rescue was made.
Lamb is the fourth South African to receive the honour, with fellow Umdloti resident Matthew Maroun earning it in 2018.
On February 20, 2021, Lamb was celebrating a friend’s birthday at a restaurant in Umdloti when he was alerted to the child experiencing difficulty offshore.
“Dax, a holder of the Lifesaving South Africa Surf Proficiency Award (LSASPA), immediately sprinted across the beach and swam about 250m through the turbulent surf, reaching the five-year-old as he was pulled under a big wave. Dax dove under the water and pulled the boy to the surface, giving him a thump to the chest, causing the boy to vomit,” reads the citation for the Mountbatten Medal.
While ensuring the boy remained above the water, Lamb signalled to onlookers for help and one of his friends swam out to give assistance.
Two other lifesavers had also seen the rescue take place and swam out on surfboards, taking the boy and the second swimmer safely back to shore.
“Dax, who was totally exhausted by then, allowed the current to take him further out and south, before he eventually managed to reach the beach.”
As a result of his swift and brave action, the boy survived the ordeal.
The rescue also earned Lamb a bravery award from Lifesaving South Africa which is stamped by Princess Charlene of Monaco.
Lamb has done lifesaving since he was 11, earning his LSASPA which qualified him to perform coastal rescues.
Although not active in lifesaving as an adult, Lamb became invested again when his three daughters began as nippers at the Umhlanga Rocks Lifesaving Club.
This aside from a love for the ocean, where surfing, long swims and paddling have kept him fit throughout his life.
When not in the water, Lamb owns and runs Pura Vida, a textile printing company in Tongaat.
The medal has not yet been presented in person and it will be done at the next suitable local lifesaving event.
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