Teenage heroes save cliff victim
Published: January 12, 2005
Four teenage boys stepped up to become the unlikely heroes of a cliff-fall drama at Tasmania’s Clifton Beach.
Dina Alexopoulos says she still cannot believe her 17-year-old son and his surfing mates saved the life of her daughter Emalee.
Emalee Fehlberg, 20, plunged into the water unconscious after falling 10m from a cliff top at north Clifton Beach on Saturday.
Her brother Chris, of Hobart, and mates Tim Stearnes, of Howrah, Aaron Bush, of Moonah, and Daniel Drew, of Dynnyrne, all 17, pitched in to save her life.
“I’m always calling the boys twits,” Ms Alexopoulos said.
“When I tell them anything, they look at me like the lights are on but nobody’s home.
“You can tell them something three times and you don’t think it will sink in.
“I’m amazed and shocked they knew what to do and behaved so heroically.
“We were told over and over again at the Royal Hobart Hospital that without the boys and their knowledge, I wouldn’t have my daughter today.”
The boys had been taught basic survival techniques during their schooling.
Ms Alexopoulos said Emalee had been sitting on the cliff watching the boys and when Chris got out of the water she went to sit with him.
“On the way down she slipped and fell and was holding on for a few seconds but the wind was so strong, it blew her off, falling 10 metres,” she said.
“Tim was first to reach her, as she had gone into the water, and he used life-saving techniques to keep her head, and his, above water as the waves crashed over them, while the other boys reached them as quickly as they could.”
Chris said he had used his t-shirt to apply pressure to a cut on Emalee’s head.
“There was blood pouring down her face,” he said.
“I’ve still got the t-shirt at home. We should keep it forever as a souvenir. Frame it, or something.”
After an hour’s wait in the water, supported by the boys, Emalee was evacuated by Tasmanian Air Rescue Helicopters.
Ms Alexopoulos said Chris had been frantic as his friends drove him to meet the helicopter in town.
“He was sure Emalee was going to come off it dead,” she said.
“They’ve always been quite close, but now he’s absolutely besotted with Emalee. He’s told her he loves her so many times.”
Emalee is recovering well at Royal Hobart Hospital.
She has a broken leg, a broken wrist, head injuries and cuts and bruises.
Emalee said she had also lost her nose ring during the drama - but not her cherished new shoes.
“The paramedic wanted to cut them off, but I told him don’t dare cut the shoes, not the shoes, no way. I paid $180 for them only the week before,” she said.
Rotor-Lift Helicopter pilot Tony Mulhern said Emalee was in a lot of pain and bleeding when police and a paramedic arrived.
“It was a pretty tricky winch because [the wind] was very turbulent and the tide was coming in,” Mr Mulhern said.
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