Just doing my job, says hero of rip tide rescue swim
Published: September 16, 2005
He has been called a guardian angel and hero, but Papinkie Lebelo says he was just doing his job.
The National Sea Rescue Institute volunteer, who was off duty and just passing by on his way home to Khayelitsha, swam out 150 metres to save two cousins caught in a rip tide at Monwabisi beach on Sunday.
Zimkita Leandezi, 23, of Site B, Khayelitsha, died in hospital on Monday of lung failure.
Her cousin Odwa Mvemve, 20, is recovering.
Yesterday Leandezi’s mother Mary called Lebelo a “hero” and “guardian angel” for trying to save her daughter and said it meant a great deal to her that Lebelo took time out to visit her on Monday.
Lebelo, who is also a Metro Rescue Services diver and ambulanceman said: “It was just luck that I was there and overheard some people saying they were in distress. I didn’t think twice about jumping into the water.
“I am just so upset the woman died. I did my best to save her and so did the paramedics.”
If you enjoyed this good news Subscribe to Good News Blog
Share this
To share this simply copy and paste one of the below URL's: