Pride of NZ: Selfless surf rescue earns bravery award

Dudley Andrews with Wiremu Bennett-Hati and Rex Haora Pairama and their grandmother, Janet Morunga. Photo / Peter Jackson

When Dudley Andrews jumped into raging surf near Kaitaia to rescue two young boys who were close to drowning he acted on instinct to save their lives.

Last night, Mr Andrews' unselfish act of gallantry won him a national award.

The 37-year-old former soldier and now a teacher at Kaitaia College, last night won the Bravery & Heroism category at the Pride of NZ Awards ceremony in Auckland.

There's no doubt that Mr Andrews saved the lives of 5-year-old Rex Haora Pairama and his 6-year-old cousin, Wiremu Bennett-Hati, when he dived into the surf at Waipapakauri Ramp on March 1.

He said while it meant a great deal to be recognised by his peers for the rescue, the real trophy was saving their lives and getting to know the Kaitaia Primary School pupils and their families.

Mr Andrews said their first encounter after the rescue provided another special experience.

"When I met them for the first time after the rescue, one of the boys said to his nana, 'is that Mr Andrews?' and the nana goes, 'Yeah, it is.' And the boy said, 'No it's not, because the man who saved me had wings'."

Mr Andrews and his family had been heading to Ahipara to gather tuatua when they saw a child had been swept out beyond the surf at Waipapakauri Ramp. A man who, according to police, had been keeping an eye on the boys had gone into the water but could not swim, and needed rescuing.

The first youngster was 50m or 60m beyond the breakers, on his back and kicking, but was going under the water. Mr Andrews assured him, as he got close, he was there to help him and he would be okay, then comforted him as he paddled him back to reunite him with his family.

"Before I got back to the beach, I saw people further up pointing. I thought they were warning me about a rip, but there was another boy, about 100m out from the surf," he said.

He, too, was on his back and kicking, but going under. Mr Andrews went back into the water, this time accompanied by a surfer with a board.

"He disappeared 10 or 15 seconds before I got to him but I managed to grab hold of his hair, then his hand, and pulled him back to the surface. He was crying by the time we got him on the surfboard, which I thought was a good sign," he said.

Both boys were examined by St John staff and declared to have survived unscathed, although Mr Andrews said they had been on the verge of drowning when he got to them.

He told the boys he was now part of their whanau, and that they were the real heroes. They had known to float on their backs, to kick and not to panic. All he had to do was pick them up, put them on his board and get them back to the beach.

In May, when he received a Police District Commander's citation from Superintendent Russell Le Prou, Mr Andrews said he had been prepared to die when he entered the water.

"I made peace with the possibility that I would not survive. I told my daughter that I loved her," Mr Andrews said.

His heroics, and the work of the other award winners, also impressed the Pride of NZ judges last night - including NZME CEO Jane Hastings, TSB Bank CEO Kevin Murphy, Sir Peter Leitch, former Silver Fern Bernice Mene and former Tall Black and NZ Breakers great Dillon Boucher.

The Pride of New Zealand Awards, sponsored by The New Zealand Herald, The Hits radio station and TSB Bank, and supported by The Northern Advocate, aims to celebrate those Kiwi volunteers, campaigners, fundraisers, care-givers and other heroic people who go above and beyond for others.