Father of three dies saving girlfriend's little granddaughter
October 31st, 2008 by Glenn Sacks, MA for Fathers & Families"'He went in to save her knowing that he can't swim, which is what makes what he did fantastic,' Ms. Nielsen said. 'If there had been anyone else around, you would have imagined they would have gone in.
"He's never ever been known to go into the water. He's pretty switched on, he goes fishing and sailing [but he can't swim]. That's what we all find absolutely unreal, it's hard to take in because it would have been so terrible for him. But he got her out ... he saved her life.'"
No surprise here--a father of three died saving his girlfriend's little granddaughter from drowning. From 'Man of action' gave his life to save girl (Sydney Morning Herald, 10/20/08):
A body of a 55-year-old man who jumped into a river to save a young girl has been found in south-western NSW.
Scott Ryan, a weak swimmer, was with a 47-year-old female friend and her seven-year-old granddaughter at Yanco's Horn Beach on the Murrumbidgee River, near Leeton, about 4.40pm (AEDT) yesterday.
When the girl got into trouble in the water, the father-of-three and the grandmother leapt in after her.
Mr. Ryan managed to pull the girl to the safety of a partly submerged tree, but then experienced difficulties himself before disappearing under the water.
The woman and the girl were both rescued from the river.
The NSW Police Force said Mr Ryan's body was found about 3pm today.
Andrew Hurst, licensee of Leeton's Wade Hotel, where Mr. Ryan was a regular, said the town was saddened by news of the affable truck driver's death.
"He'd come in here a couple of times a week after work.''
"He was a good all round Aussie bloke. I know that's a cliche,'' he told AAP.
Mr. Ryan had three children - Chelsea, aged 11, Lindsay, 15, and Tommy, 19 - with his ex-wife Cindy Tiffen, who works at the Wade Hotel as a cook. Mr. Ryan was single.
Ms. Tiffen had remained friendly with her ex-husband, Mr. Hurst said.
He said he was not surprised Mr. Ryan jumped in the river to save the girl, despite not being a strong swimmer.
"He was your typical Australian knockabout ocker bloke, that was what he felt his duty was,'' he said.
"He went in to do that and one come out and one didn't.''
Read the full article here. Thanks to John, a reader, for sending it.
To read other stories of heroic men and fathers, click here.
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October 31st, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Another man acting with amazing heroism when the need presented itself. I know what it must have taken for him to jump in that water as I am also a very poor swimmer. What a great loss to his children.
October 31st, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Another example of what being a Man is all about. Well done Mr. Ryan.....Well done.
October 31st, 2008 at 3:22 pm
God Bless you Scott Ryan. Selfless and valorous actions indeed. Rest easy sir, rest easy.
Steven
October 31st, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Yeup.
I got one: my daughter's best friend lost a brother to a drowing accident.
This was at their family pool. The father's parents were both there. The father was not a good swimmer, and his boy slipped into the deep end. The father, who could not swim, attempted to fish out the boy. The father and the boy drowned, as his wife and parents watched.
Drowning is a big deal for kids, and adults as well. When I used to always be surfing, on occasion a lifeguard was fishing out failing swimmers. I would always paddle out and assist as requred, even when it made me late for dinner.
It's really good to have a waterman around when you are around the water.
October 31st, 2008 at 11:37 pm
First off Mr. Scott I'd like to say R.I.P. second of all I'd like to bring up a story from my mid-teenage years. I was visiting my sister in N.C. Her husband was in the Marines. Any way, while walking on a peer, many of us heard a gut wrenching scream for help. A woman and her daughter had gotten caught in a rip tide. Once I realized what was going on, I sprinted into action. I shredded clothing on the way just like a superman but just at the point I was ready to dive off the peer to rescue the women, I saw that another man had already made it to them and was bringing them into shore. I just watched from above, they didn't thank him, they where just too happy to be alive. He just walked away. It was perhaps the most heroic thing I've ever seen in my life. I can truly appreciate these stories, I just wonder how many men there out there like the guy I mentioned who don't get and don't expect any credit for what they did. It's the right thing to do.
November 1st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Two cultural superpowers colliding, (Where is the male to scarifice to the estrogen gods???).
To our culturally perverted judges, this must be a real disconnect!!
November 1st, 2008 at 9:55 pm
If I could chose the way to go, I cannot think of a more noble way than sacrificing one's self to save a child. When looked at in a deeper sense, this actually reflects the sacrifice that many men will go through to have a relationship with their children, even when alienated from them. Of course this is probably why this is posted. Very sad, but wonderful at the same time.