John Micallef never set out to be a hero. At 74, he was simply out at Gerroa enjoying his latest passion, wing foiling, when an ordinary afternoon turned into a life-saving mission.

It was a rough day on the water. As John made his way back to shore, he noticed two men on the beach waving at him.

At first, he thought they were yelling because he had come too close to the swimmers. "I was getting a bit concerned because they were bigger than me," John laughed.

"Then I thought maybe they were warning me about a shark."

But as he turned to look, he saw a woman being dragged further out to sea by a strong rip.

Her arm was flailing above the water in distress. Without hesitation, John sprang into action.

"I knew I had to reach her quickly. Rather than approaching her standing on my foil board, which has a razor-sharp hydrofoil, I stayed on my knees, using the wing to propel myself towards her."

Photo Credit: Bob McMillan

When John reached the woman, she was exhausted and anxious. He knew the key was to keep her calm. "I just told her, ‘Stay calm. Everything will be alright.’"

The board was too small to hold them both, so he instructed her to grip the foot strap and hold onto the board for buoyancy.

Then, carefully, he used the wind to steer them back towards shore. "We were about 200 metres out, but thankfully there was a strong wind helping us in."

The real challenge came as they entered the wave zone. "I had to be really careful because the hydrofoil underneath is incredibly sharp. I told her, ‘When I say so, push away from the board as far as you can.’ And she did exactly that when the waves hit."

After tumbling through a few waves, they finally reached the shallows. "I told her, ‘Alright, we’re nearly there. When you can stand, just let go and walk in.’ And that was it."

Waiting onshore, the two men who had signalled John ran to thank him.

The woman, still shaken, was immensely grateful.

"I thought you were abusing me!" John joked to the men. "They said, ‘No, no, we were trying to get you to help her!’"

John’s friend Joe Fischer, who is 78, was in awe when he heard what had happened. "The bloke’s 74, he should be in a nursing home!" Joe laughed. "But instead, he’s out there saving lives. He’s braved the elements and rescued someone. Good on him, I say. He deserves a medal."

The rescued woman had unknowingly entered a dangerous rip. "The area near track three always has a strong rip," John explained. "It’s not a safe place to swim, and unfortunately, she got caught."

Mayor Cameron McDonald praised John’s quick thinking and the strong community effort that supports beach safety.

"What an an exemplary awareness of quick thinking and ocean awareness.Thanks to John in averting what may have been another tragedy on a local beach. Again, we see members of the community assisting lifeguards and voluntary lifesavers in keeping our beach users safe. It also serves as a reminder - swim between the flags, listen to lifesavers' instructions, know your abilities, and don’t go in if you don’t know local conditions. Respect the ocean always."

Despite his modesty, John’s act of courage highlights the importance of ocean awareness and staying calm in emergencies. "I’d never done anything like this before.

As I was approaching her, I thought, ‘How am I going to handle this?’ My final thought was, if I can just get to her, at least she’ll have something to hold onto. And if I couldn’t get her in myself, I’d stay with her and call for help."

John also credits the woman for staying calm and following his instructions. "That was imperative," he said. "Otherwise, both the swimmer and the rescuer can be in danger."

At an age where many might slow down, John remains incredibly active, cycling, playing tennis, performing in a band, and now, wing foiling. "I don’t know that I’m super fit," he said. "I’ve had two heart operations in the last year. But I love being active."

Joe, however, isn’t buying John’s humility. "The man’s a legend," he said. "He’s out there doing things that most of us wouldn’t even attempt at half his age."

As locals continue efforts to educate visitors about surf safety, John’s story serves as both a reminder of the ocean’s dangers and an inspiration.

He was simply in the right place at the right time - with the skills, courage, and quick thinking to save a life.