A woman’s heroic actions saved two lives at a beach in Victoria, Australia. She bravely rescued three unconscious swimmers near Apollo Bay.
On a sunny Sunday near Apollo Bay at Marengo, God placed Brianna Hurst in the right place at the right time. Brianna, 33, was alone on the beach. Suddenly, a swimmer came out of the water, screaming for help. His friends were in trouble in the water.
Without thinking twice, Brianna jumped into the ocean. She swam towards the three men, who were unconscious. “I went to the one that was closest to me,” she said. Brianna had to swim about 20 meters to reach the first man. He was much bigger and heavier than her. But she managed to pull him to safety.
Brianna didn’t stop there. She went back to save the second and then the third man. By the time she was saving the third man, more people had come to help. They worked together to revive swimmers with CPR until the paramedics arrived. Sadly, a 26-year-old man didn’t survive. The other two, aged 23 and 24, were rushed to the hospital. One was in serious condition, and the other was stable.
Police and paramedics said these men would have died too if Brianna hadn’t helped. “She put herself in danger to rescue people she didn’t know. It’s heroic,” said acting Senior Sergeant Stephen Bull.
The four men were from Melbourne’s western suburbs. They were at the beach together when they got into trouble. A friend of the man who passed away thanked Brianna. “Thank god for her,” he said. He called her “really brave.”
Brianna warned others about the dangers of swimming at the unpatrolled Marengo beach. She talked about the sudden drop-offs and rips in the water. “I’m happy that I was there. It was probably just luck that I felt confident in the water,” she said.
This story is a powerful example of how God uses us to help others. Brianna Hurst’s actions remind us to be ready to serve and save, guided by faith and courage.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV)