Ryan Martin gave his life to rescue a 7-year-old girl just south of Coolangatta. Photo: Instagram
A few days ago, a 7-year-old girl and her family were dragged out of the shallows and into deeper water off the coast of New South Wales. They were quickly swept farther out to sea on the southern side of Fingal headland, just south of Coolangata, an area notorious for its treacherous currents. Four people leapt in to save them, including a 30-year-old accountant from Burleigh Heads named Ryan Martin. While the girl, her family, and the other three rescuers would make it to shore safely, Martin would not. He died saving her life, and is now being hailed as a “superhuman.”
According to reports, Martin swam to the girl, who was unconscious. Holding her above the water, Martin managed to get her close enough to lifesavers before being washed onto the rocks. Tragically, his girlfriend, Zoe Bell, watched as her boyfriend drowned.
The scene on the beach after the 7-year-old girl was rescued by the heroic efforts of Ryan Martin. Screenshot: 9 News
“He would always go out of his way to help anyone who needed it,” said Martin’s older brother, Josh. “It didn’t surprise me that he just threw himself into the water like that… It was just standard Ryan. Obviously he has paid the ultimate price to save that girl and when I went out to the spot I realized how long he would have had to hold up the little girl. It would have been an incredible feat. He actually managed to pass the girl over to the rescuers at the end of it all. To do all that while carrying someone is superhuman.”
Rescuers found Martin’s lifeless body just beneath the surface, but after performing CPR on him for half and hour, he was pronounced dead. The 7-year-old girl was taken to hospital and is on her way to making a full recovery, thanks to the heroic efforts of Ryan Martin.
