Vic: Boy saves brother from cliff fall, up for bravery award

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2001
Vic: Boy saves brother from cliff fall, up for bravery award

MELBOURNE, Dec 1 AAP - A plucky 10-year-old boy has been recommended for a bravery
award after rescuing his elder brother who lay unconscious at the bottom of a cliff.

Paramedic Stephen Kershaw told AAP he had recommended the boy for a Community Hero
Award after the boy dragged his brother into the sea and floated him around a point so
elderly passers-by could help him.

The injured 13-year-old was airlifted to the Royal Children's Hospital in a serious
but stable condition.

Mr Kershaw said the passers-by had been flagged down in their car by the younger boy
when he saw his brother fall down the eight-metre cliff at Mount Martha, south-east of
Melbourne.

"Undoubtedly his actions have saved his brother from serious injury, if not death,"

Mr Kershaw, acting manager of an intensive care ambulance team, said.

"He was a very lucky boy, people die from a lot less," he said of the boy's broken ribs
and head injuries.

The boys are reportedly (Eds: Channel Nine) the sons of Victorian football legend Fred
Cook, but Mr Cook could not be contacted for confirmation.

Mr Kershaw said the brothers had been playing in their cubby house in bushes at the
top of the cliff at about 4pm when the elder brother fell, landing on sharp rocks below.

"His brother saw his older brother fall and lie on the rocks unconscious so he ran
up the road and ran in front of a car and led the elderly couple to the place.

"But there was no access to the part of the cliff where the brother was lying.

"So he swam round the point and dragged his brother across the rocks into the water
and floated him back about 20m round the point and the elderly couple were able to assist,"

Mr Kershaw said.

"After bringing his brother round to the adults he bolted back up the cliff and waved
down the ambulance."

An air ambulance was called, police cleared the area and it landed on the beach near
the boy, before airlifting him to hospital.

AAP sjg/dl

KEYWORD: HERO

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