Ten-year-old De'Andre, from Newport, is being recognised for his bravery and quick thinking after helping to save a life during a family trip to Ogmore Beach in August.
What began as a summer day at the seaside quickly turned into a potentially tragic situation when De'Andre spotted a girl in difficulty in the water. Remaining calm under pressure, the young boy immediately raised the alarm and helped ensure assistance reached the casualty as quickly as possible. “ As she was still, I thought she couldn’t swim” explained De’Andre, who has spent two years developing swimming and lifesaving skills through Newport Live’s Learn to Swim programme, both in structured lessons and school swimming lessons. “But it turned out she’d had a seizure, so I had to make sure she kept her head above the water.”
While an adult rescued two other children who had also been caught out by the rip tide, De'Andre stayed with the girl aged 14, putting him at risk. “ I don’t think he realised the enormity of what he has gone through and what he actually did” commented Amanda, De’Andre’s mum, “He seemed so calm when he got back, despite what he had been through.” De’Andre explained however that staying calm was exactly what he had been taught in his swimming lessons, as well as the importance of floating. “I was keeping the girl afloat too” he explained. “And then when she was taken back to shore, I had to swim back to shore, which wasn’t easy as I was tired, but I knew I had to.”
Family members have described the experience as both frightening and inspiring, praising De'Andre for his courage, maturity and selflessness.
"We are incredibly proud of him," said Amanda. "He didn't hesitate when he saw someone needed help. Despite the danger, he stayed calm and did everything he could to make sure the girl got the help she needed. I honestly believe that without the swimming lessons he wouldn’t be here today, and neither would the girl he saved.”
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of water safety and the need to act responsibly in coastal environments, where conditions can change rapidly. While emergency services and water safety organisations always encourage people to seek professional assistance rather than enter dangerous waters themselves, De'Andre's determination to help and his presence of mind during a critical situation have earned widespread admiration. As well as money from his family, he’s had praise from his headteacher and his two older siblings have been particularly proud, claiming that they wouldn’t have known what do in the same situation.
In recognition of De’Andre’s bravery, Newport Live has gifted him ten free swimming lessons to continue his passion for learning to swim. Once he has successfully passed Wave 6, he will also be able to participate in the Rookie Beginner Programme, to teach De’Andre the skills of live saving. ” We’re incredibly proud of De’Andre for showing such courage, compassion and maturity when someone needed his help” commented Kellyann, Aquatic Manager at Newport Live. “His actions demonstrate what an inspirational young man he is, putting the skills and knowledge he has gained through his lessons at Newport Live into practice when they truly mattered and it really is wonderful to see a young person respond with such confidence and care for another person: De’Andre should be extremely proud of himself. As a further recognition of his achievement, Newport Live is delighted to gift him ten free swimming lessons to support his ongoing swimming journey. We encourage everyone to learn to swim and develop essential water-safety skills, which can make a lifesaving difference in an emergency”.
At just ten years old, De'Andre has demonstrated remarkable courage, compassion and resilience. His actions not only helped save another person's life but also ensured that he returned home safely to his own family.
“Every organisation hopes the swimming skills they teach will make a difference, but rarely do we see such a powerful example as De’Andre’s story. His bravery, quick thinking and determination helped prevent what could have been a tragic outcome. We are incredibly proud of him and delighted to recognise his achievement with additional swimming lessons and support into our Rookie Lifeguard programme. We hope his story inspires more children and families to learn to swim and gain the confidence and water-safety skills that can save lives,” said Steve Ward, Chief Executive at Newport Live.
I’d encourage anyone thinking of taking up swimming to do it” added De’Andre. “Just do it, not only is it fun but you could make a difference someday, too”
Today, De'Andre is being celebrated as a true local hero whose bravery serves as an inspiration to the Newport community and beyond. The family of the girl he helped recently reached out to De’Andre too, gifting him a card, bar of chocolate reading “My Hero” and also a gift card, which De’Andre has now spent on action figures, which seems fitting! His mum Amanda also rewarded him by taking him to a spa hotel in Cardiff where he spent most of the time… you guessed it, swimming!
