Two young teenage girls – including one with dreams of swimming at the Olympics – dove into dangerous waves to save a British couple from drowning off the coast of Barbados earlier this month.
Emma Bassermann, 14, and Zoe Ireland-Meklensek, 13, have been credited with saving the lives of Belinda and Robert Stone – the latter twice their size – by taking them to the beach on January 3.
The Canadian teenagers acted after hearing Belinda screaming for help on the beach, which had no lifeguards on duty at the time.
The couple, both in their 60s, were enjoying a peaceful afternoon on a Barbados beach, floating in the water when they were caught in a dangerous riptide.
“We swam out, not that far but enough to get out of our depth,” Belinda told the Washington Post Wednesday.
The Londoners, who both consider themselves strong swimmers, were holidaying in the area and didn’t realize the coastal area was known for its riptides.
Emma Bassermann, 14, who was training for the Olympics, and Zoe Ireland-Meklensek, 13, jumped into action after hearing Belinda Stone screaming for help. Global News
Belinda tried to swim against the current back to shore but soon realized her husband was not keeping up and was already far behind.
The 64-year-old continued to swim towards the shore hoping for help while shouting.
After several minutes of screaming, she began to think the worst and told the Washington Post she was glad she “left our will on the dinner table.”
Belinda and her husband Robert, both in their 60s, were enjoying a peaceful afternoon on a Barbados beach, floating in the water when they were caught in dangerous waves on January 3. CBC News: The National
However, their vacation was not to end in tragedy as Bassermann and Ireland-Meklensek saw it from 85 feet away and swam to Brit.
“I heard their cries in the water,” Ireland-Meklensek told City News.
“Our adrenaline is pumping and everything we’ve learned comes back to us in that moment,” Bassermann, who is training for the Olympics, told the Canadian outlet.
Belinda tried to swim against the current back to shore but soon realized her husband was not keeping up and was already far behind. Global News
The two Montreal teenagers helped Belinda onto their boogie boards and began swimming parallel to shore to rescue her, as she told them her husband was still in the water.
“She said her husband was further away, and she was struggling to swim,” Ireland-Meklensek told the DC-based newspaper. “I told him to hold on tight, and I tied the boogie board strap around my wrist. Emma is by my side for support.”
After bringing it to shore, the two dove back into the water, despite Belinda warning against it because the pair were young. The girls brush him off, telling him they’re in town for swim camp and are experienced in the water.
Bassermann and Ireland-Meklensek spotted Belinda from 85 feet away and swam to Brit. The two Montreal teenagers helped Belinda onto their boogie boards and began swimming parallel to shore to bring her to safety. Global News
The girls swam 165 feet to grab the 68-year-old Robert and used their boards to pull him to safety, assuring him that “his wife is fine and he’s going to be fine,” Ireland-Meklensek said.
Despite their experience, the teenagers admitted the second trip was tiring because “the current kept pulling me back,” Ireland-Meklensek said, but they made it out of danger.
Afterwards, the girls said they made a “really good team” and Belinda said she was impressed by their “calmness”.
The girls swam 165 feet to grab the 68-year-old Robert and used their boards to drag him in safely, assuring him that “his wife is fine and he’s going to be fine,” Ireland-Meklensek said. CBC News: The National
“I don’t think there are many girls like Zoe and Emma. I can’t get over how calm and composed they both are,” he told the Washington Post. “A role model for others. These girls are amazing and very self-deprecating.
“They really are like a pair of angels on that beach.”
Both girls have been competitive swimmers for years, with Bassermann now training for the Canadian Summer Olympic swim trials with her coach, Chuck Meklensek — Ireland-Meklensek’s father.
Ireland-Meklensek stopped competing last year to focus on basketball.
Meklensek said he was “very proud” and “in awe” of the girls’ bravery. He also told the Washington Post that he was surprised they were able to pull a man his size to the beach alone.
The Quebec Life Saving Association plans to honor the girls for their heroic actions, as well as the Ireland-Meklensek school, according to Global News.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
