PERTH, Australia (WOWO) — A 13-year-old boy swam for nearly four hours through rough ocean waters to save his family after they were swept out to sea off Australia’s west coast, a dramatic act of endurance and courage that police say ultimately saved three lives. Austin Appelbee was kayaking wit h his mother and two younger siblings near Quindalup, south of Perth, on Friday when strong winds and heavy seas dragged them farther from shore. Visiting from Perth, the family had rented kayaks and paddleboards to explore the waters around Geographe Bay when conditions rapidly deteriorated around midday, police said. As the family struggled against the waves, Austin made a split-second decision. He removed his life jacket so it wouldn’t restrict his movement and set off alone toward shore, beginning a grueling swim of about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) that would last nearly four hours. “The waves are massive and I have no life jacket on,” Austin recalled in an interview Tuesday. “I just kept thinking, ‘Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.’ And then I finally made it to shore and I hit the bottom of the beach and I just collapsed.” Austin initially tried to paddle for help using an inflatable kayak, but abandoned it when it began taking on water. Battling large swells and exhaustion, he eventually reached land and raised the alarm, triggering a large-scale rescue operation. A police search helicopter later located Austin’s mother, Joanne Appelbee, 47, and his siblings — Beau, 12, and Grace, 8 — clinging to a paddleboard while wearing life jackets. They were found around 8:30 p.m., after drifting roughly 9 miles (14 kilometers) from shore and spending as long as 10 hours in the water, authorities said. “The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised highly enough,” Police Inspector James Bradley said. “His determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings.” Joanne Appelbee said asking her eldest son to swim for help was the most agonizing decision she has ever faced. “One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make was to say to Austin: ‘Try and get to shore and get some help,’” she told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. As the hours passed, the family tried to stay calm, she said, singing songs and joking to keep spirits up. But fear grew as daylight faded and the seas became more violent. “We kept positive, we were singing and we were joking and … we were treating it as a bit of a game until the sun started to go down,” she said. “That’s when it was getting very choppy. Very big waves.” By the time rescuers reached them, all three were shivering from the cold. Beau had lost feeling in his legs, his mother said, and all were exhausted after hours exposed to the elements. Despite the ordeal, Joanne Appelbee said the outcome was all that mattered. “I have three babies,” she said. “All three made it. That was all that mattered.” The post 13-Year-Old Swims for Hours Through Rough Seas to Save Family Off Australian Coast appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less