Heroic St Albans Surfer Rescues Teenager From Rip Current

A heroic St. Albans surfer has saved a teenager and his mum from a drowning accident. 14 years old James Donnelly was saved by Oliver Stockwell who swooped in to rescue him after the young boy was almost dragged out to sea . The 14-year-old was out on his bodyboard in Trayarnon, Cornwell when he lost control and was knocked off into the water. The tide was already dragging him away from shore when 18 years old Oliver Stockwell spotted him.

Stockwell, a former student of Verulam School on seeing Donnelly in danger, paddled out into the water to the teenager and helped him get to safety on a nearby rock.

Sheryl Donnelly, James’ mum narrated how the events unfolded. She was out on the shore when she heard her son’s desperate cry for help after he was knocked off his board. Sheryl said she was trying to swim out to him to help him when he noticed Oliver come to his rescue. She explained that James had gotten caught up in a rip current, but she noticed that someone on a bodyboard was coming towards him to assist.

Sheryl saw Oliver as he paddled up to her son and help him get onto his own board and steer both of them to the safety of a rocky outcrop in the water. Sheryl said she was grateful for the young hero’s efforts as he ensured that James was on the rocks, out of the way of danger before he got out of the water too.

Oliver’s timely action not only saved James, but he might have averted a double tragedy as Sheryl could have been caught by the tide as well.

Falmouth Coastguard had arrived at the scene later following emergency calls which reported some swimmers in distress. While Oliver had gotten James to the safety of the rocks, Sheryl was still in the water when rescue arrived and was spotted gradually drifting towards the rip current

It was already sundown when the coastguard arrived and they had to use their car headlamps to light up the beach before they could find Sheryl, her son, and the hero that rescued them.
According to a coastguard spokesperson, Sheryl, was directed to safely swim out of the water at an right angles to the current and she was assisted to the shorelby the people present.

The Coastguard administered first aid care to the mother and her son before the arrival of an ambulance which took them to the hospital. Their hero and his family were with them all through. Sheryl expressed her gratitude for how the youngster came to their rescue and he has been rightly praised by the authorities for his quick thinking, proactive actions and selflessness.