Heroic teenager saves his friend’s life
There were no waves at Tweni's 'granny's pool', so the boys decided to locate some waves adjacent to the lifeguard tower.
Dieter Holl (14) risked his life to save his best friend Tyler Elliott (13) in the surf at Umtentweni Beach on Monday this week.
With school exams behind them and the holidays beckoning, the boys, who are new to surfing, took their surfboards out for a paddle.
The boys from Port Shepstone Senior Primary were accompanied by Dieter’s mother Debbie, and a group of friends.
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There were no waves at Tweni’s ‘granny’s pool’, so the boys decided to locate some waves adjacent to the lifeguard tower.
“We were not that far out when a wave hit us, and we went underwater and got sucked out to sea,” explained Dieter.
Luckily, Dieter is a strong swimmer and paddled back to shore, left his surfboard with one of his friends, and swam back to help Tyler who was drifting further out to sea on his surfboard.
Dieter said he managed to get Tyler to a rock, where he could stand and take a break, and then he swam behind him, pushing him to shore.
“If it wasn’t for Dieter I would have drowned, as the waves kept pushing me closer and closer to the rocks,” said a relieved Tyler.
Dieter said he couldn’t see Tyler, that’s how far out to sea he was, and it seemed like he was close to the shark nets.
Tyler, who got his surfboard as a birthday present at the beginning of the month, said they kept looking for a boat to rescue them.
Watching from the shore, Debbie said she felt helpless, as she couldn’t do much to help from the shore.
She said the current was very strong, and it seemed like when the boys took one paddle forward, it swept them five paces backwards.
“I kept thinking what am I going to tell Tyler’s mother,” she added.
“We all kept screaming for both of them to hang on to the board, but Dieter wouldn’t hang on and was determined to push Tyler,” said Debbie, who described it as the longest 20 minutes of her life.
Will they go surfing again? Tyler said he will only go surfing if Dieter goes, as he is his lifesaver.
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