A Kilkenny butcher is being hailed a hero after saving three lives while he was on holidays in the Costa del Sol.
Mick Gaule is encouraging more people to take up water safety classes like he did – which he had to put into use a few weeks ago.
While on a beach with his family, he saw a woman frantically signalling for help for a teenage boy who was in trouble in the water.
However, when he got out to where the boy was, he realised there were two other people in trouble as well – one weak swimmer who was trying to hold the boy’s head above water and the boy’s mother.
Mick told KCLR Live this morning, that the mother turned out to be the most difficult of the three.
He says she was drowning and trying to climb on top of the weak swimmer, essentially almost drowning him.
Mick managed to get her into a cross-chest carry and took her to safety, while telling the other two what to do.
He says it’s so important for everyone to familiarise themselves with water safety skills because you never know when you’ll need them.