'It's pretty cool to be called a hero'

Abby Wutzler ran along the beach of Lalomanu in Samoa screaming at tourists that a tsunami was coming has been given a special award for bravery. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Abby Wutzler is a humble hero.

The gutsy 10-year-old who ran along the beach of Lalomanu in Samoa screaming at tourists that a tsunami was coming was yesterday given a special award for bravery.

It was nice to be honoured, she said, but she wasn't the only one.

"Well I guess at the end of the day everyone was a hero ... People helped organise groups and things, but I guess it's pretty cool to be called a hero."

In front of Abby's family and friends at Karori West Normal School in Wellington, Civil Defence chief John Hamilton congratulated the Year 6 pupil on her quick actions.

"The way you recognised the signs of the tsunami and acted as quickly as you did helped save your family and others on the beach that morning," he said.

Proud former teacher Kay Mudge - who taught Abby about tsunamis - also received an award.

"She gave me a hug and said, 'Good on you'," Abby said, adding that Mrs Mudge "had a new haircut".

Abby was holidaying with her family at the Litia Sini Beach Resort when she saw the sea receding.

From studying tsunamis and natural disasters at school, she knew that spelled trouble. She sprinted the length of the beach screaming at other tourists that the tsunami was coming.

And then it did. "I remember running and looking behind and seeing trees falling and then I looked in front of me again because I didn't want to get off track," Abby said.

Yesterday, she was quite happy to talk about the tsunami, but only because her family was safe.

"I was really frightened because I thought my family was dead. My brother had climbed higher and my Dad was in the water," she said.

Abby was pleased with the pile of goodies she got yesterday, which included a Civil Defence pen saying "What's the plan Stan?" and a radio that doubles as a cellphone charger.

She said it was important to be prepared for natural disasters.

And would she go back to Samoa?

"Yes. I think my mum wants to go back and rebuild the fales."