Hero holidaymaker saves girl
Wednesday 30th September 2009, 11:30AM BST.
A holidaymaker from the Black Country saved a nine-year-old girl who got into trouble as she swam with her mother in the sea in Florida.
Proud friends and family today praised the quick-thinking actions of Andrew Colledge, who risked his own life to battle strong currents and swirling waters to pull the terrified youngster to safety. The 40-year-old, of Ettingshall Park, Wolverhampton, was enjoying a family break when the dramatic scenes unfolded on Daytona Beach.
The father-of-two said today: “There was just no chance I was going to let that little girl go.”
Service engineer Mr Colledge was holidaying with his children Millie, 10, and Joe, six, when he decided to take a dip in the Atlantic Ocean, leaving the youngsters with his sister Lynne Owen, brother-in-law John Owen and niece Jenna, 27.
“I was having fun diving into these massive waves and coming back up again as I’m quite strong swimmer,” said Mr Colledge. “But then I went out a bit too far and the current caught me. I felt my legs going so I decided to swim back again.
“I had to put my head down and power through because the waves were getting that strong.
“As I was coming out of the water, I heard a cry for help and saw a woman holding her child.”
Mr Colledge started swimming back into the dangerous currents towards the stranded pair. “I just grabbed the little girl and struggled to power myself back through the water,” he added.
“The little girl was crying and it was tough trying to hold her and get out of the water with just one arm.
“The waves were relentless and it was so deep I thought ‘I’m going to drown myself here’ but I wouldn’t let her go. I was lifting her up so she could get some air.”
Lifeguards arrived in time to see Mr Colledge, of Wendover Road, emerge from the sea and hand the little girl, an American called Alison, to them.
“The lifeguards went out and got her mum and later they both came over and thanked me, which was really nice,” Mr Colledge added.
Mr Colledge’s sister Lynne, of Penn, noticed a commotion on the beach and turned to see lifeguards carrying the little girl and her brother walking behind them. She said today: “We’re so proud of him.”
Two days ago, the same sea claimed the life of a 16-year-old swimmer whose body was washed ashore on Daytona Beach, while another swimmer was rescued by lifeguards from treacherous rip currents.
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Why is he classed as a hero? Surely this should be the normal thing to do, not the stuff of hero’s.
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Jenny how can you say that ! the guy put his own life at risk who knows what would have happend.Well done Andrew a true Hero
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Of course he is a hero you cynical bint.Nowadays it is normal to ignore and walk away.
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i agree with toronto wolf he is a hero jenny not everyone would have done it
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Well done that man! I would much sooner read these kind of headlines than the usual depressing articles. Oh and Jenny are you on day release today? the guy saved a little girls life.
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Correct no 2 people who put their lives at risk for other people are true hero’s
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He put his own life at risk? lol, he was swimming in the water anyway, he even says he’s a strong swimmer, no-one was hurt at the end of the day, more sandwich filler news.
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Well done sir.
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Stick to the swimming baths Jenny you have no idea what strong water currents can do to even the strongest swimmers. I spent two years on beaches in Cornwall near Newquay as a life guard when i was younger and i have seen the strongest swimmers get into trouble-even life guards themeselves on rare occasions. You know nothing girl!! The man is a hero, especially in that water.
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FAO jenny
“filler news”?
Would you class it as “proper” news if he hadnt have saved her or if both of them had drowned?
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Jenny you sound the sort of person who would swim past and just think of your own safety. This gentleman said he was struggling to get back to shore and he is a strong swimmer ,the mother with with girl wouldn’t have made without his help.
He is a hero you need to look it up in a dictionary ….
Hero: A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life
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Jenny… you need to look up what a hero is the dictionary !
Hero : A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.
This gentleman said he was struggling to swim back and he is a strong swimmer so how do you expect a woman holding her young daughter to cope. Without his help the chances are they would have been washed out to see like the 16yrs old two days previously.
Jenny you strike me as the sort that would swim past and just think of saving your own neck and not think of others !
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jenny, he saved this little girl from drowning – end of story. I don’t know why you’re being so disrespectful – he noticed that litte angel first and went to help, without him it would have been much worse..he’s a hero in my book.
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Jenny, no-one was hurt because this man went back and got her! How many times do we hear of adults diving into rough seas to save people in trouble only for them both to perish? It’d certainly make most people think twice, especially as someone had died the day before!!!
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well done you saved someones life and you could have lost your own.there is an old saying to save a life is to save the world. that little girl may have her own family one day and i hope she lives to a grand old age and tells everyone about the man from the black country who saved her life.
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Hero he was, when was the last time you saved a life Jenny? you would say what you said if he had saved your live would you.
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jenny you sicko how can you say that he saved the little girls life for crying out loud. and yes he was swimming then relised he wouldnt be save he swam back if it wasnt for him the little girl would of drown and died would you like that ? i guess you would you sicko if you havent got anything nice to say about him then dont say anything at all… im sure theres louds of people out there who would see whats going on and then walk away talking about it theres not that many nice people out there just lately as you just pointed out to us all
the man who saved the lil girls life is a hero :) he went back into the sea even though he knew it was strong to save that girls life when he didnt have to but hes obvious a nice kind caring person unlike her.. !
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Being a strong swimmer does not always help in these circumstances. He is physicaly strong and he went back into dangerous waters to save that terrified girl. Would it have been more interesting for you if they had both lost their lives!!!!
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Lets hope you or anyone u know get in that situation Jenny and have to rely on someone else to save you!!!!!
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This man is my uncle, my hero!!!! And Jenny whoever the hell you are, i would like to see you do what my uncle andy did for that little girl. Hes 6ft and couldnt touch the bottom of the sea, and it was a strong current. Lover for you you to reply to that then.
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My Uncle Andy the hero!!!! Whoever you are Jenny!!! Keep your stupid opinions to yourself!!!! Lets hope you or someone you know are never in this situation. My Uncle is 6ft and couldnt touch the bottom!!! Well done Andy!!!!
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well done andrew, your a hero and glad to have a hero live so close by…round the corner lol. Jenny get a life you idiot!!!
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What a pathetic set of comments. The argument many are making is similar to me stopping at a red light and saving the lives of the pedestrians crossing as I didn’t mow them over, I’m a hero yayyyyy!!!!
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Jenny = Idiot!
Andrew Colledge = HERO!!
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Jenny!!! What the hell are you on!? What is wrong with you? Who the hell do you think you are?
Get a life!
Andrew Colledge is a complete hero! He risked his own life for a little girl. End of story!!!
If you don’t stop making idiotic comments you are going to be one disliked woman in the West Midlands.
Andy 100 v Jenny nil
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Perhaps if you hit the red light and a passer by dragged you out of the car that would be a hero eh Jenny? You need to talk some sense Gal saving some one from drowning in strong current water is hardly the same as sitting in your car at traffic lights
If you couldn’t stop at the traffic lights and a passer by pulled those pedestrians to safety so you didn’t hit them-well thats a hero Jenny!!
NUMPTY!!!!!!!!
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Jenny – what a pathetic comment to make, comparing yourself to Andy . . . you stopping at a red light DOES NOT make you a hero! Get a grip and look up the meaning of a hero instead of reading your highway code! Well done Andy!!
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Number 18 – It would have been much more interesting if they were in the middle of the pacific ocean instead of a few meters from land. The so called hero is obviously going to say he was struggling in the current to get all the praise out of it he can.
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Jenny you need to get out more. Most drownings happen close to the beach where the current is at its strongest. Do you see life guards ten miles out to sea??? You are stupid ,but then again perhaps you havn’t had many beach holidays-shame! Try some of the beaches on the Newquay side in cornwall and have paddle out-you will be suprised at the power of the currents!
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Jenny, clearly you have nothing better to do other than to make pathetic and hurtful comments about someone you have never even met. You are obviously in the minority here and need to up your medication.
Andrew is an amazing person who you will NEVER have the privilege to meet.
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Jan Jesus Christ was also in the minority and as for the “wonderful person Andrew” you say I will never meet, what makes you think for 1 second that I actually want to meet him?
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Jenny-Jesus could walk on water -so no need for him to be a strong swimmer eh? A hero? yes-because he saved us all!
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Jenny you truly are a very sick person in need of help!
Any normal well balanced person would recognise a true hero,lets just hope if you ever had children who were in trouble in the water there was someone around like Andrew!
Well done Andrew, you are the best!!!!
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fao bitter and twisted aka jenny
how do you know it was only a few metres (correct spelling) out. Were you there? proper wind up merchant you are. Still it was keeping us all amused, your crackpot comments, but its boring us all now so just shut up and go away.
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Well done neighbour and what a hero, the little girl and mother would not have survived if it wasnt for Andy. It must of took a lot of courage going back in there,that was reason why he came out because of the strong current. They wouldnt be here today if not for Andy. And Jenny get a life!
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Hi,I’d just like to say well done.You make me proud to come from Wolverhampton!Sometimes people do think that this is what anyone would do,but the real truth is that the vast majority do nothing and think someone else will do it.I’ve read that the tides here are treacherous and people have lost there lives. So he is special and can feel rightfully proud there are not many folks who can say that they have saved a life but he can! Well done mate!
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Well done andy!!!
And jenny he is still a hero i bet you you would of carried on swimming past you arrogant women!
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