Cooly-Named AFL Star Braves ‘Hairy Waters’ To Rescue Drowning Trio

Geelong footballer Patrick Dangerfield has described the moment “instinct kicked in” and he rescued an 11-year-old girl, and two adult women from a rip on Moggs Creek in Victoria’s Surf Coast.

According to the ABC:

“They were caught in a rip, which is something that happens along that coast quite often,” he said. “I basically just went out there and tried to help them where I could,” said Paddy. He described the weather and the waves as “pretty hairy”.

Dangerfield reached the girl, aged 11, and two women and began towing them back to shore, before surf lifesavers arrived with jet skis and took over the rescue. “It was about calming them down as quickly as possible and waiting for the surf lifesavers to get there and to pull them in and [then] the ambos, who do an incredible job,” he said.

No one involved was injured.

“If you live along the beach long enough then you’re going to experience those different things throughout the course of your life and there’s going to be times when you’re called up to get out there quickly and then the lifesavers will arrive if they’re close by,” he said. “If you see someone, you’ve got a responsibility — if you can, if you’re able — to help them out.”

Dangerfield said the swimmers were holidaying on the coast, and he popped in to visit them late on Sunday afternoon to check they were alright. 

What a pillar of a man. Must’ve done nippers. 

He also said Sunday was his first day out of isolation after having the spicy cough.