Surf rescue earns bravery award
By Andrew Drummond, Illawarra Mercury
When Michael Poore (right) went to the rescue of a troubled swimmer at Kiama in February 2003, he thought he was going to die.
“I was out in the water for about half an hour and I watched the waves crashing against the rocks and thought: ‘Any minute now it’s going to be my head crashing into those rocks’.”
Michael, of Stanwell Tops, was playing sevens rugby at Kiama when the drama unfolded.
“I was standing on the sideline having a drink of water when I saw this bloke get sucked into the water,” he said.
“I ripped my boots off and saw this kid walking down the beach with a body board so I knocked the board off him and everyone must have thought I was a real mongrel.”
Stealing the body board helped save the life of the Bathurst man in his late 20s who had fallen victim to the strong tow of the water.
Michael, now 22, made it through the waves and floated the distressed man on the board.
“Then we were stuck in a whirlpool and, whenever I thought we’d start to get closer to the shore, we’d get pulled further out to sea.”
Michael’s rugby coach, John Mealey from Engadine, then joined the two men in the water. “I didn’t even know John was in the water until he was next to me and said ‘G’day. How are you going?’ I mean, what a thing to say when we were almost drowning!”
It was the first proper rescue for Michael, who held a bronze medallion and had surf life saving experience from his teenage years.
“As a result of the rescue I don’t go to the beach much anymore or out in the water,” said Michael, who works in Army intelligence.
“It really showed me that I’m not invincible and, to tell the truth, if I had to do it again, I don’t think I could.”
For their efforts, Michael and his coach both received Australian Bravery Medals at a ceremony in Canberra on 23 September.
