Debbie Klemke of Henty has a vivid recollection of her four-year-old daughter, Ava, slipping into the deep end of the local pool last month and not emerging from the water - and the reality of what could have been a terrible tragedy stays in her mind.
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Ava had been having private swimming lessons at home for almost two years and was a competent and capable little swimmer. This was to be her first day of Swim Club.
Mrs Klemke saw her daughter on the blocks at the deep end and shouted to her to get down but Ava hesitated and slipped into the water.
“I was expecting Ava to bounce up out of the water giggling,” said Mrs Klemke.
“But that didn’t happen.”
When Ava entered the water she had banged her chin on the block and was dazed, but her previous swimming lessons had given her the forethought to lift her hand up above her head.
It was that hand, showing just a few little fingertips above the water, that alerted eleven-year-old Toby Murray to Ava's sign of distress.
Toby jumped in and pulled Ava to the surface – it was then that Ava’s mother saw blood gushing from her daughter’s face.
“This all happened so quickly; one minute Ava was on the blocks and I called to her to get down, but when she turned to my voice she fell and landed awkwardly in the water,” said Mrs Klemke.
“The next thing I know Toby had jumped in and helped her up and to the edge of the pool where I grabbed her and lifted her out.”
Allie Murray, Toby’s mother, was Ava’s swim instructor and with Swim Club president Nicole Edwards they ran to administer first aid.
Mrs Edwards drove Mrs Klemke and Ava to Henty Hospital where the extent of her injury was seen.
“Ava had hit her chin on the blocks and her teeth had gone through the inside of her bottom lip, putting a complete hole through her chin,” Mrs Klemke said.
“Dr Al-Musawy took care of Ava and glued the injury.
“It wasn’t until a day or so later when I realised how Toby’s quick reaction had basically saved Ava’s life,” she added.
Last Friday morning at a special gathering at Toby’s school, Henty Public School, he was given a Certificate of Appreciation by acting principal Theresa Kane.
Ava then presented Toby with a medal Mrs Klemke had specially inscribed. On the front was the word ‘Hero’ and on the back were the words ‘To Toby, Thank you, Love from Ava’.
Seemingly none the worse for wear four-year-old Ava summed things up beautifully…. “Toby’s my hero” she said.
Fast facts
Overall, 266 people drowned in Australia between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014
* 20 (eight percent) of those drowning deaths occurred in children aged 0-4 years
* 90 (34 percent) of drowning deaths occurred in New South Wales with 39 percent occurring inland
* 15 percent of drowning deaths occurred in swimming pools with 21 percent drowning as a result of falls into water
For more information on keep watch actions for preventing child drowning go to www.royallifesaving.com.au
Extracted findings from the Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report 2014.
