HERO BOY Swims For Four Hours To Save His Family : February 2026

 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykTniYb4moo

 A 13-year-old Australian boy has been hailed a hero after an epic swim that saved his family. The boy, Austin Appelbee, and his family were on a beach holiday in Western Australia. They were kayaking and paddleboarding in shallow water when strong winds pushed them farther offshore. They ended up over four kilometres away from land, and the daylight was fading. Austin decided to kayak to shore to get help. However, the waves had damaged his kayak, which had taken in water and flipped over. He said he then lost a paddle and knew he was in trouble. He decided he had no alternative but to swim back to land. He swam through shark-frequented waters to raise the alarm.

Austin made it to the beach and phoned for help. This started a huge rescue operation, which resulted in coastguards finding the teenager's mother and two younger sisters. The boy said: "I hit the bottom of the beach and I just collapsed, and then, after that, I had to sprint two kilometres to get to the phone." Rescuers called his efforts "superhuman". One rescuer said Austin's actions could not "be admired highly enough". He added that the teenager's determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings. Austin's mother Joanne, 47, told reporters: "The wind picked up. We lost paddles, and we drifted out further. It was an absolute nightmare."

Despite his exhaustion, Austin remained calm and focused throughout the terrifying ordeal. Experts later described the conditions as hazardous, explaining that strong  winds can quickly carry even experienced swimmers far from safety. Authorities praised Austin’s bravery and resilience, saying his quick thinking prevented a potential tragedy. Local officials emphasized the importance of water safety when participating in ocean activities.

Following the dramatic rescue, the community expressed immense gratitude for Austin’s heroic actions. Many people said his selfless decision demonstrated remarkable maturity for someone his age. Emergency services highlighted how vital communication and fast action are during a crisis. Austin, however, humbly insisted he was simply doing what anyone would do to protect their family.

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1.Vocabulary Matching

Paragraph 1

1. alternative — c. Admired someone or something enthusiastically.

2. fading — a. A very, very long, difficult and tiring task or activity.

3. shore — g. Having very little depth.

4. epic — b. Gradually grow fainter and disappearing.

5. flipped — e. The land along the edge of a sea, lake, or other large body of water.

6. shallow — d. Turned over with a sudden quick movement.

7. hailed — f. Of one or more things available as another possibility or choice.

Paragraph 2

8. terrifying — h. Long flat sticks used to steer or move a small boat.

9. courage — l. An organization that keeps watch and helps people or ships in danger.

10. coastguard — n. Of a person having fallen down and become unconscious.

11. ultimately — i. Of a person making a decision and strongly deciding not to change it.

12. collapsed — j. The ability to do something that scares you; bravery.

13. determination — m. Finally; in the end.

14. paddles — n. very scary 

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Paragraphs 3 & 4

15. selfless— o. A very unpleasant and prolonged experience.

16. humbly — p. Dangerous; risky.

17. tragedy — q. The ability to recover quickly from difficulties.

18. resilience — r. A very sad or serious event.

19. maturity — s. Gave special importance or attention to something.

20. crisis — t. Extremely large or great.

21. ordeal — u. Caring more about others than yourself.

22. emphasized — v. The state of being fully developed in character and behaviour.

23. immense — w. A time of intense difficulty or danger.

24. hazardous — x. In a modest way; without pride.

2. EVERYDAY HEROES: To what degree are these people heroes? What herioc deeds do they do? Complete this table.

	Degree	Deeds
Nurses
English teachers
Police officers
Chefs
Street cleaners
Presidents Producers Journalists

3. ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARES: Rank these. Put the worst nightmares at the top and tell us why each one would be nightmarish for you ?

·         Being lost at sea

·         Losing your smartphone

·         Very noisy neighbours

·         Going to prison

·         A chocolate allergy

·         Year-long hiccups 

       Looking for a new apartment

·        

·         Chronic insomnia

   4. SYNONYM MATCH:

1. hailed
2. epic
3. flipped over
4. trouble
5. alternative
6. collapsed
7. courage
8. nightmare

1. difficulty
2. overturned
3. bravery
4. passed out
5. heroic
6. commended
7. option
8. ordeal

5. CHOOSE ONE : 

Choose one of these situations and express why you think it is the most:

COURAGEOUS, VALIENT AND BRAVE:

1. A firefighter enters a burning building to save a child.

2. A teenager stands up to bullies to protect a new student.

3. A doctor travels to a poor country to help sick people during an epidemic.

4. A woman reports corruption in her company, even though she may lose her job.

5. A child admits they broke something instead of lying.

6. A stranger jumps into a river to save someone who is drowning.

7. A person publicly shares their story about overcoming depression to help others.

8. A journalist reports the truth in a country where the media is controlled by the government.

9. A scientist refuses to change research results, even when a powerful company offers money.

10.A neighbor shelters a refugee family despite criticism from the community.

11. A student speaks publicly about experiencing discrimination at school to demand change.

6. PERSONAL REFLECTION PAIRS

• 1.What scares you the most?

• 2.Have you ever had to be brave? Tell us about it ?

• 3.Who do you consider to be the most heroic person that you know?

• 4.Would you risk your life for someone? Who?

• 5. What qualities does someone need to have to be called a hero ?

• 6. What were you like as a 13-year-old?

• 7. What do you think you would have done in a similar situation ?

• 8. What would you think if you knew you were swimming in a place where sharks might be there? 

 7. FILL IN THE BLANKS :

 

1. If someone gets very nervous because they will give a presentation or do something else in public, they are having                                 .

2. If you are not  afraid of something , or you are afraid but you do it anyway, we can say that you are                           ?

3. If you have a fear that freezes you but you decide to confront this fear until it no longer has a negative effect on your life, then you have                           this fear.

4. Your boss is acting like a bully to you . You decide to confont them. You                           to them.

5. If someone is calling you the opposite of courageous, then they are calling you a                         .

6.  You are so courageous. You have the heart of a                    .

7. There is a moment of crisis and people are panicking. However, you remain calm and focus and this situation doesn´t affect you. We can say that you have ¨Nerves of                      ¨. 

We can also say that you are ¨ solid as a                        ¨. 

8. If you admire the young boy who saved his family, then you                              to him. 

9. These stories of extreme courage, especially by someone so young are really rare. You only hear about them                                                                    .

10. Everybody is talkng about this boy. It is being covered by newspapers, on the radio, online and everywhere. This story is                                       .

8. Divisive Hero:

Choose someone from the list and why they are considered as a Divisive Hero: 

1. Che Guevara

2. Margaret Thatcher

3. Bill Gates

4. Elon Musk

5. Ada Colau

6. Someone not from the list 

9.ROLE PLAY : 5.Role play

Austin has been nominated for the National Young Hero Award. A live TV show is being broadcast across Australia. You will act out what happens before, during, and after the award ceremony.

Roles  

• 🏅 Austin Appelbee

• 👩 Austin’s Mother

• 🚁 Coastguard Rescuer

• 🎤 TV Host

• 📰 Journalist

• 🧠 Psychologist (expert on bravery)

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Part 1: Backstage  

Before going on stage, each character prepares:

• Austin: How do you feel about being called a hero? Do you agree?

• Mother: What emotions did you experience that day?

• Coastguard: Explain why the rescue was so dangerous.

• Psychologist: What makes someone act bravely instead of freezing?

• Journalist: Prepare 3 challenging or unexpected questions.

• Host: Plan how to introduce Austin dramatically.

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Part 2: Live TV Interview  

The show begins!

1. The Host introduces Austin with excitement.

2. The Journalist asks difficult questions (e.g.,

   • “Were you scared you might die?”

   • “Did you ever think of giving up?”

   • “What if sharks had appeared?”)

3. The Psychologist explains Austin’s courage.

4. The Coastguard describes the rescue operation.

5. The Mother gives an emotional thank-you speech.