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Dangerous sea conditions did not deter 15-year-old Braedon Powell, a Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving Junior Nipper, from leaping into action to save a man from drowning.
Relaying the incident to People’s Post, his father, Sean, says the family was in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, when the incident occurred last month.
“He recently qualified as a Junior Nipper and we happened to be in Durban for the Life Saving Championships.”
However, the ocean part of the competition was cancelled for the nippers due to extraordinarily large surf.
“There was a cyclone and it was considered too dangerous for the youngsters to continue. We had some free time, so on Wednesday 27 March Umhlanga Life Saving Club hosted a few of the clubs that travelled from afar for the day.”
“We gathered at Addington Beach in Durban for a braai and games with other nippers and their families.
“Moments before my family arrived, someone had gone out on a bodyboard, at around 10:00 and got into difficulty. One of the pro lifeguards tried to effect a rescue and was unable to because he himself got into difficulty.”
A fellow nipper, Riley Smith (15) from Llandudno Lifesaving Club, and his father managed to go out to help and assist the man in the surf.
“They closed the beach after this because the surf was violent and dangerous, so the beach was opened and then closed,” says Powell.
“At that moment, we decided to call it a day and packed up.”
Before leaving the beach, the family decided to walk along the beach and pier for some family pictures and memories.
“My son and I wanted to walk to the end of the pier and there were massive waves hitting hard and rushing back. I noticed a gentleman standing ankle deep and every time a wave hit, the water would get up to his ankles and knees.
“I thought he was playing with fire.”
Not long after, Powell explains his daughter noticed a human head in the surf.
“It was terrifying, he was sucked under water and disappeared for long periods of time. My wife noticed a pink NSRI buoy and my son sprinted and grabbed it, leaping off the railing of the pier.”
The parents helped to untangle the rope of the buoy as Braedon swam out.
“I am a qualified lifeguard as well and I realised that there was no way I would be able to swim in those sea conditions, it was terrifying,” he explained.
“I think it was a rip current as well, but Braedon made progress, they were far off shore and the victim disappeared under the water.”
Reaching the victim, the teen passed on the buoy.
“A massive wave came, the victim and my son disappeared for a long time under water. Eventually, my son surfaced and found the victim who was just rolling around with no fight left in him at this stage.”
The father says he was in absolute awe at his son’s brave actions.
“It was violent and scary and despite being afraid, knowing how terrifying it was he didn’t hesitate and ran straight into that ocean,” he said.
“I am looking at my son with different eyes.”
After managing to get the victim back to shore, the man received assistance.
“My son was washed out to sea again and he had to swim for his life.”
It is not the first rescue the teen carried out; in 2020 at the tender age of 11, he saved two men.
At the time, he noticed two men on an inflatable mattress drifting off to sea.
“Grabbing a knee-board and paddling 150 m-200 m out to sea and discovering that neither of the men could swim, Braedon managed to calm them down and to push them safely back to shore.”
In a social media post, Lifesaving South Africa commended the teen for his selfless act.
“While in Durban for the DHL Lifesaving Champs, Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving Club Junior lifeguard, Braedon Powell rescued a man caught in a rip current in Umhlanga,” read the post.
“The man was almost out past the pier and was starting to go under when Braedon spotted him and went to his rescue using a pink torpedo buoy.
“He brought the man safely to shore and saved this man’s life, thank you Braedon for your selfless act and quick response.”
