Brave rescuers who didn’t know each other played a part in saving a man and a boy from drowning at a lake in Creeslough.
The quick actions of Caitlin McFadden and Matthew Corr and another male prevented a tragedy from occurring in Lough na Tooey last Saturday afternoon as a young teenager and a man in his twenties – a nephew and uncle – got into difficulties.
Seventeen-year-old Creeslough native Caitlin was in the car with her mum when they spotted a woman in distress who waved them down. After pulling over, Caitlin immediately knew “something awful” was happening.
“She just kept repeating that there were two boys in the water who needed help,” Caitlin says of the woman who drew her attention to the incident. So obviously, first instinct – I got out of the car.”
Also passing on the road was 23-year-old teacher Matthew from Ballymena, Co Antrim, who has been living in Dunfanaghy and working in The Rusty Oven restaurant during the summer. He came across the same woman pleading for help.”
“Myself and my parents were driving back from Glen when we saw a commotion on the side of the main road with a mother waving her arms frantically,” says Matthew.
“I immediately took my seatbelt off as Dad stopped the car and jumped out to hear her screaming that her son was drowning. I told my parents that I had to go in as I’m a qualified lifeguard.”
Caitlin, who is a sixth-year student at Pobailscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola, Falcarragh and plays for St Michael’s minor team, headed down to the lake and “jumped straight in” when she saw two people in the water.
“Shortly after, another boy jumped in and we were swimming towards the two boys, and as we were swimming towards them, they were under distress,” she adds.
“At this point, I saw there was an older man in the water too,” continues Matthew.
“Both heads were bobbing up and down as I climbed down through the bushes and de-robed. I got in the water, while shouting instructions to the pair and had a plan to swim to the row boat they jumped off. This was in order to save both of them at once more easily, and not lead to more tragedies.
“I sprint-swam about 100 metres to the row boat and then rowed about 50 or 60 metres to the casualties.”
“The younger boy was jumping up and down in the water,” says Caitlin. “And a third guy (Matthew) jumped to help in and he went in and got the boat. So when we got over to the boys, they were safe and sound, got them onto the boat and took them back to land.”
“I managed to get to the pair in time, and at the same time, another two young people arrived to help rescue,” adds Matthew. “I got the 14-year-old in the boat and figured he would go into shock quickly, so I managed to get the uncle in the boat with the help of the other two rescuers to bring them back to shore. I managed to row all back safely, treated the boy for shock and waited for the ambulance to arrive.”
While Caitlin and Matthew don’t know each other or the third person involved in the rescue, they have both been in contact with the family of the two young men, who are both said to be keeping well after the ordeal.
“It happened very quickly,” concludes Caitlin.
“There was no time to think, just run off your instincts and try to help as much as you could and on arrival, we got out of it and everybody was safe and sound. We were very, very lucky. I wouldn’t have lifeguard training, and I would be quite a strong swimmer. You kind of know how to react in that situation but there would be no training.
“Luckily, there were two of us who swam out because it kind of took the distress off both of us, but at the same time, both of us were just thinking ‘we need to get these boys out’ to get them back safe and sound. It’s just instinct, someone’s in bother and you try your best to help them.
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“The older gentleman has since reached out to me to thank me for the service and described that if they were in for another 30 seconds, they would be gone,” says Matthew. “I’m most glad that I was passing at the right time.”
