13-Year-Old Boy’s Heroic Swim Saves Family in Western Australia
February 4, 2026
What started as a relaxing family outing on the waters of Western Australia turned into an intense test of endurance and bravery for 13-year-old Austin Appelbee, who spent nearly half a day struggling to save his family from a dire situation.
The Applebee family / Credit: Associated Press
While paddleboarding and kayaking near Quindalup beach, Austin, his mother Joanne, and siblings Beau and Grace were caught off guard by strong winds that pushed them farther from the shore. “We lost oars, and we drifted out further… it all went wrong very, very quickly,” Joanne recounted to the BBC.
Faced with a grim situation, Joanne instructed Austin to head to shore for help while she remained with 12-year-old Beau and 8-year-old Grace. “One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make was to say to Austin: ‘Try and get to shore and get some help,’” she shared.
Austin’s journey quickly turned perilous as his inflatable kayak began to fill with water and ultimately capsized, leaving him to swim with just one oar. “It started flipping, and then I lost an oar and I knew I was in trouble,” Austin recalled. Undeterred, he decided to swim.
For almost four hours, Austin battled the elements, covering approximately 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) despite fatigue and rough seas, losing visual contact with his family during the ordeal. Reflecting on his mindset, he said, “I was really scared… I just said, ‘Not today. Not today. Not today. I have to keep on going.’”
Meanwhile, Joanne and the two younger children clung to a paddleboard without food or water, relying on the uplifting power of prayer, Christian songs, and positive thoughts to endure. They faced growing waves and the onset of cold as night approached.
Austin finally reached the shore just after 6 p.m., in disbelief at his achievement. “When I hit the floor I thought, how am I on land right now — is this a dream?” he expressed. Despite his exhaustion, he managed to call for emergency assistance, which initiated a wide-scale search operation.
Hours later, rescue teams located Joanne, Beau, and Grace nearly 14 kilometers (almost 9 miles) offshore. They had been in the water for up to 10 hours. Despite their ordeal, the family members only suffered minor injuries and were released after treatment.
Upon learning of his family’s rescue, Austin described an overwhelming sense of joy shared by everyone present. “Everyone — doctors and police officers — were jumping up and down with joy,” he said.
Austin modestly downplayed his heroism, stating, “I didn’t think I was a hero — I just did what I did,” although he acknowledged the experience as a “tough battle.”
Rescue commander Paul Bresland lauded Austin’s courage as “superhuman,” while Police Inspector James Bradley emphasized that his actions “cannot be praised highly enough — his determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings.”
For Joanne, the outcome was all that mattered: “I have three babies,” she said. “All three made it. That was all that mattered.”
Sources: BBC News, New York Post
