13-Year-Old Austin Appelbee Becomes International Sensation After 4-Hour Swim To Save Drowning Family

"Superhuman."

In a world where the curtain has been pulled back on the elite’s lust for chillun, the jackboot put on the neck of the lil man and the war dogs released, again, the story of Austin Appelbee’s epic four-hour swim to save his drowning family last Friday has brought the goodness of the world into much needed relief.

Austin Appelbee, who is thirteen, had gone for a paddle on inflatable boards and kayaks with his mum Joanne, little bro Beau, 12, and even littler sis Grace, just eight, on the leeward side of Cape Naturaliste there, just around the corner from Yalls and Taj Burrow’s myriad mansions.

The family got into trouble when wind and waves pushed them offshore. Joanne Appelbee asked Austin to swim to shore to get help, as they were unable to paddle back.

Austin Appelbee vs Great Whites

Austin initially tried paddling back on his kayak, but it took on water, so he abandoned it and swam the remaining four clicks, roughly two nautical miles, to shore. The swim, in Great White-infested water it’s safe to say took four hours through rough seas in a fading light.

Austin Appelbee started with a life jacket but ditched it after about the first two hours, believing it was slowing him down and hindering progress. He focused on happy thoughts and prayer to keep going.

Upon reaching shore, he collapsed from exhaustion, then ran another two clicks to access a phone (from his mother’s bag) and called emergency services as the sun melted into the sea, his fam fourteen clicks offshore by this stage.

This triggered a multi-agency rescue involving Western Australia Water Police, Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue, a rescue helicopter, and others. The mother and two younger children (clinging to a paddleboard and wearing life jackets) were located around 8:30 p.m. about after spending up to 10 hours in the water.

All were safely rescued with no serious injuries reported.

Paul Bresland, commander of Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue, described Austin Appelbee’s effort as “superhuman,” noting: “He swam in, he reckons, the first two hours with a life jacket on. The brave fella thought he’s not going to make it with a life jacket on, so he ditched it, and he swam the next two hours without a life jacket.” He also said the boy’s “determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings.”

The tale of a young teen’s grit, faith, and selflessness has captivated audiences internationally, turning Austin into a celebrated hero, described as the “heart of the country” in Australian media and inspiring widespread praise for his courage.

Austin says it was prayer that got him through the tough biz of slogging through the Indian Ocean, telling the BBC: “Throughout the next two hours, it was prayer, Christian songs and happy thoughts which kept me going… I kept praying and praying, and I said to God, ‘I’ll get baptized, I’ll get baptized.’”

Kid was so buckled he had to walk on crutches for the next few days.

As Tolkien said, “It is not the strength of the body that counts, but the strength of the spirit.”

You ever been brave?

I’ve dragged a handful of souls outta the drink and got to the Bondi massacre too late to do shit, but that’s about it. The one-time I had a shotgun shoved into my guts by a masked thief I prayed like hell, although I did claim to have no cash thereby saving myself twenty bucks.

Once a tight ass, always a tight as, as they say.

You?