In what can only be described as an act of God, a 13-year-old Australian boy managed to save his family when he swam for four hours back to shore after they were swept away from strong winds and waves.
News18 reported Austin Appelbee, of Perth was on vacation with his mother Joanne, 13-year-old brother Beau, and 8-year-old sister Grace in Quindalup last Friday when the three were swept away into Geographe Bay.
The family had paddleboards and a kayak when it happened. Austin managed to get instructions from his mother, then took off towards the shore, kayaking four hours. He left his life jacket behind two hours in so he could move faster.
Despite collapsing exhausted when he reached the shore, he sprinted two kilometers, reaching a phone around 6:00 PM.
Rescue helicopters and boats found the three around 8:30 PM and they were rescued by a volunteer marine rescue vessel.
Authorities credited Austin’s description of his family in helping locate them while his efforts are now being called “superhuman.”
The significance of the moment was not lost on Austin, feeling God’s presence in guiding him to save his family.
“I don’t think it was actually me [swimming]… It was God the whole time. I kept on praying, kept on praying. I said to God, ‘I’ll get baptised.’
“The waves are massive, and I have no life jacket on… I just kept thinking ‘just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”
Channel 4 posted footage of the family together with Austin speaking out what was going through his head.
A 13-year-old boy in Australia has been hailed for saving his family from drowning after they were swept out to sea.
Austin Appelbee was with his mother and two younger siblings when they got into difficulty.
He managed to swim two and a half miles to shore to raise the alarm… pic.twitter.com/wbwXZNvNDi
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) February 3, 2026
“[I was] trying to get the happiest things in my head, trying to make it through, not the bad things that would distract me.
“At this time, you know, the waves are massive and I have no life jacket on.”
ABC News reported Austin stated he was thinking about his friends, his family, but also anything else that would motivate him like his favorite Thomas the Tank Engine character.
“He’s absolutely amazing,” said his mother, Joanne.
“Me and his dad are super proud.”
God was surely with Austin and his family in those critical moments. It must have been terrifying to have that much weight on his shoulders.
It would be enough for a grown man to handle, but being just a teenager, it’s almost unimaginable.
God listened and brought his family home safe.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
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