Through My Eyes

For the last month I have been in search of a local hero. A letter from across the ocean reached me at a time when I needed to know that some people are just naturally good and they would risk their lives to save another.

In a society that is gradually spiralling into untenable violence, I decided to help a near drowning survivor to find his saviour. Realizing it wouldn't be easy, I decided to translate and publish the letter, which arrived in my inbox on the 7th of May, from a gentleman named Darek Rusiniak.

Darek came to Ballito with his wife, daughter and three small grandsons. He spent a fantastic week with his family, enjoying our famous April weather. One perfect afternoon he decided to go for a swim, not understanding the power of local ocean currents he got caught in one that almost cost him his life.

The lifeguards had already packed up for the day and there was just his family on the beach. He did not want to alert them, but with every minute that he tried to stay calm and swim to the shore he was becoming more certain that this was the end for him.

And then some people who were enjoying the late afternoon on the nearby beach noticed a man struggling in the surf. Amanda Dempsey was there with her parents and children when her daughter pointed to a man who appeared to be in trouble in the water.

Without a moment's hesitation a young mystery man jumped into the horrendous currents and brought the exhausted tourist to shore. Darek Rusiniak was barely breathing and he was in no state to make friends and introduce himself to his saviour. However a week later he knew that he must do everything he could to find the hero who saved his life.

Lets face it; some people are born to be heroes. It is in their DNA. It is just the way they are wired and that is that. Jason Dreyer is one such person; selflessly he jumped in and saved a complete stranger. Not knowing that he was a beloved father, a husband and a grandpa.

Jason Dreyer saved Darek Rusiniak not because it was his job or because he finished some lifesaving course, he saved a man because he is a good human being, a brave and compassionate soul who was not scared to risk his own life for another.

Now I don't know about you but I am not so sure that I would be able to do the same. Not because I do not want to save a life but because I would be terrified of dying while trying to save a life. What can I say, I am a hopeless swimmer!

My son Damian saved my life in the surf many years ago. He was only a small boy at the time. He saw me getting pulled out into the sea and jumped in with his boogie board and told me to hold on. We were being bashed around by the waves, terrified and convinced that we would not survive but moments later my husband appeared and told us to relax and that we would be ok. He looked deep into my eyes and said, 'Don't worry, I am going to get us out.' And I believed him. And everything was calm after that.

We were washed far out to sea; so far it was hard to see the shore. The three of us holding on to one boogie board drifting off to the other side of the world. It took all our strength to paddle back and when we did, we collapsed in a heap. The shock and trauma haunts me to this day.

There is no denying that I feel that I owe my life to my son Damian and my husband and I am sure that Darek Rusiniak feels the same.

When I finally traced Jason Dreyer and emailed him Darek's letter, this was his reply;

"Hi Ed,
Thank you for sending me the letter from Darek. Please feel free to give him my details. I'd love to know how the rest of his holiday was.As cliche as it may seem, I don't really know how to comment. I'm sure that most people would have done the same.

Have fun,
Jason"

Jason guess what? Not all of us would have done the same and that?s what makes you a hero! Long live all the heroes!