Widespread honors for Island teenager

Page 13

Frank Thomas, 15, is being honored with awards and accolades after his daring rescue of a drowning father and son in Port Alberni's Somass River last summer.

Thomas will be receiving the Silver Medal of Bravery from the British Columbia and Yukon branch of the Lifesaving Society at their Annual Commonwealth Honor and Rescue Awards ceremony at the Pacific Palisades Hotel in Vancouver on March 27.

He is also one of only five young people across Canada short listed as a finalist in the bravery category of the 10th anniversary YTV Achievement Awards.

"It's pretty cool," said Thomas, casually adding he has also been contacted by the Carnegie Foundation of Pittsburgh, and asked to apply for their awards. "I didn't think anyone outside of Port Alberni would pay any attention to this. I've been really surprised by the amount of interest in this."

A member of the Ahousaht First Nation, Thomas is credited with the heroic rescue of a drowning father and his three-year-old son at the Paper Mill Dam Park on the swift Somass River last August.

While taking an evening stroll along the riverbank, Thomas saw a boy thrashing in the middle of the popular swimming hole.

"At first, I thought he was just goofing around," said Frank. "Then people on the beach started yelling 'save him, save him.'"

Thomas stripped down and dove into the water, pulling the unconscious youth back to shore moments before he would have drifted into the swift, dangerous tailout of the swimming area.

Not knowing that someone had already heeded the rescue call, the drowning boy's father dove in to save his son, but soon found himself in trouble as well. Hauling the boy up on to the sandy riverbank, Thomas spotted the now struggling adult, and jumped back in to the rushing river to help him back to shore.

Once back on the beach, 40-year-old Clinton Fred administered CPR to the boy who had stopped breathing, and then administered first aid to the exhausted father.

While onlookers gathered, waiting for the ambulance to arrive, the father held Thomas' hand, repeatedly saying, "thank you, thank you. I'll never forget you."

Thomas, who wants to become a professional lifeguard once he turns 19, credits his lifesaving skills to swimming lessons he received through school, as well as watching Baywatch on TV.

The winners of the YTV Achievement Awards will be announced in April at a special ceremony that will be broadcast on YTV in May. Winners in the 15 categories ranging from innovation to science and technology to bravery and public service, receive a $3,000 honorarium, and an all-expenses-paid trip to Ottawa for the taping of the awards show.