Nathan and Luke. Image: Cronulla News
Older siblings can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Especially older brothers, who usually deal out their fair share of poundings and harassment, but beneath all that is love.
When it comes to Nathan Suttor, a 6-year-old in the Nipper program of the Cronulla Crays, that love reared a heroic head when his 21-month old brother, Luke, fell into a swimming pool. According to reports, young Luke ran through an open gate and into the pool, where he quickly sank to the bottom. Nathan leaped into action, diving into the pool and dragging him to the surface.
“I saw my brother go under, and so I just dived down after him,” Nathan told Cronulla News. “Luke is pretty heavy and I had trouble getting him out, and he was coughing and crying.” When Nathan had Luke at the surface, his cousin Cooper helped him get the toddler out of the water.
The incident occurred while Nathan and Luke’s mother and father were visiting family. “All the kids had enjoyed a swim and got out, except Nathan and his young cousins Cooper and Imogen,” the boys’ mother remembered. “By the time we realized what had happened, Nathan had already brought Luke to the surface and he and Cooper were pushing him out.”
Nippers is a program that introduces young children to lifesaving. “It is a fun outdoors activity that grows a child’s confidence, teaches valuable life skills and knowledge,” the website says. “Nippers is about learning, confidence and having fun in a safe beach environment. For Nippers, the beach is the classroom. They gain confidence by passing the ‘tests’ of swimming, body boarding, beach sprints, dolphin-diving, spotting a rip, having fun with new friends and discovering things about themselves.”
After Luke’s rescue, officials from the Cronulla Surf Lifesaving Club congratulated Nathan for his bravery. “We regularly award surf lifesavers who are involved in rescues, mainly in the surf by lifesavers with plenty of experience and holders of their Bronze Medallion,” said Brad Turner, the deputy president of the club.
Nathan’s quick thinking may have saved his younger brother’s life, but he’s modest about the ordeal. When asked about how he felt, he gave a simple, inspiring answer: “Well, I can rescue people – because I am a Nipper.”
