A FRANKSTON South teenager is being hailed a hero after keeping a 17-year-old girl afloat for more than an hour as she slipped in and out of consciousness about 250 metres off Frankston beach last Saturday night.
Fifteen-year-old Jackson Smith-Hillier battled to keep the girl conscious and afloat in choppy conditions and complete darkness while awaiting assistance after he swam out to rescue her about 9.30pm.
Help finally arrived about 10.30pm when a Frankston police officer swam out and dragged the girl back to shore.
On the way back in to the beach, the constable noticed the girl had stopped breathing and administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while still in the water. The constable, whose efforts were also praised by senior police, was able to revive the girl, before she again lost consciousness near the shore.
Police continued to administer CPR on the beach until paramedics arrived. The girl began breathing again and was taken to Frankston Hospital for treatment. She was released the following day.
Jackson was able to swim unassisted back to the shore where his mother, Jarnie Smith, had arrived a short time earlier after being alerted to the drama.
“He was very, very sore and shaken up,” she said. “He was frozen to the core and shivering, but thankfully he was able to save this girl’s life.
“The police officer rescued her in the end, but if it wasn’t for Jackson putting his own life at risk and holding onto her for over an hour, there wouldn’t have been anyone to save.
“He’s a real hero in my book, along with the police officer who brought her back in. [Jackson] didn’t have to swim out there to save her, but that’s the sort of person he is – always there to help others in need.”
Frankston police chief Inspector Bruce Wemyss praised the actions of the police constable and Jackson, as well as those of a second member of the public who had also swum out to try to help the girl.
“This situation could have ended tragically if not for the initial actions of the two males,” he said.
“I also commend the efforts of the responding police officer who, knowing time was of the essence, entered the water immediately with risk to his own safety in order to protect a life.”
The drama began for Jackson when he arrived at the beach with a friend about 9.15pm for a dusk dip after watching a movie at a Frankston cinema.
He was alerted to the girl’s plight by a group of her friends on the beach.
Jackson, a border at St Patrick’s College, Ballarat, immediately dived in to help but, when he arrived to bring her back to shore, was met with resistance.
“It was a very difficult situation for him to deal with at such a young age,” Ms Smith said. “He had to struggle with her and there was no way he could help bring her back in against her will, so all he could do was stay with her and try to keep her afloat.
“He was talking to her at first but after a while she started getting very cold and numb and started to lose consciousness, so he had to try to keep her awake while also trying to keep her afloat. But at least then he was able to start bringing her back into shore.”
After about 45 minutes supporting the girl, a second man joined Jackson to help, before the police officer arrived 15 minutes later to take over.
Almost a week after the ordeal, Jackson said he was still sore and shaken up, but thankful he was able to help save a life.
