Wednesday, July 14, 2004
The Triumph of Human Spirit
This is the amazing story of survival, a story of courage, decision-making and determination. On July 6th 2004, a family of six set out in a dinghy from Badu Island to attend a birthday party in Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, mid way between Papua New Guinea and Cape York of Australia. Halfway through, the outboard motor of their dinghy failed and the dinghy later capsized in the shark and crocodile infested water. The boy age 11 and his two sisters aged 16 and 11 were separated from their parents and their younger sibling.
The boy and the two girls managed to swim to a nearby outcrop island and survive without food and water for two days. On the third day, they decided that they had to leave the outcrop or they would perish. They then swam from the barren outcrop to another island (Matu Island) and survived a further 3 days on some coconuts, native plums and oysters, until they were rescued six days later. In between, they make two major swims, one a far as 5 kilometre.
It is amazing that at that age, they were able to make crucial decision for survival to leave the outcrop to swim to Matu Island. They were able to face up to the challenge of swimming great distance where even a champion swimmer would find it tough. They were able to use their survival skills in search of food and water. According to them, when they swam, they were determined to swim with “one heart and one mind” free from the distraction of the sharks and crocodiles. Their positive spirits and determination to survive have helped them to make it through their toughest time of their lives. It is amazing and heart warming. It is the triumph of the human spirit.
The boy and the two girls managed to swim to a nearby outcrop island and survive without food and water for two days. On the third day, they decided that they had to leave the outcrop or they would perish. They then swam from the barren outcrop to another island (Matu Island) and survived a further 3 days on some coconuts, native plums and oysters, until they were rescued six days later. In between, they make two major swims, one a far as 5 kilometre.
It is amazing that at that age, they were able to make crucial decision for survival to leave the outcrop to swim to Matu Island. They were able to face up to the challenge of swimming great distance where even a champion swimmer would find it tough. They were able to use their survival skills in search of food and water. According to them, when they swam, they were determined to swim with “one heart and one mind” free from the distraction of the sharks and crocodiles. Their positive spirits and determination to survive have helped them to make it through their toughest time of their lives. It is amazing and heart warming. It is the triumph of the human spirit.
