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Ted Strong will never forget the day he had to call on his surf life saving skills to help save a life.
And while the 16-year-old prefers not to be labelled a hero, there's no doubt without his efforts the outcome may well have been different.
Along with surf club teammate Will Pamplin, the duo sprung into action at Cronulla Beach in February when they saw a man lying face-down and motionless in the surf.
They were in the right place at the right time in the afternoon when they did their surf check during a break in events at a surf carnival they had travelled from Port Macquarie to attend.
With little time to react, they called on all their surf club training after being made aware of a frantic situation unfolding down the beach.
"It was pretty serious when I saw the body," Ted recalled.
"The body was face-down. When we got him on the [surf]board we could see that he was not really breathing or anything so he appeared deceased.
"Luckily I've done [swim] squad so that definitely came in handy."
The teenagers pulled the man onto his board and then the beach where two off-duty paramedics took over.
"I don't see myself as a hero; I see myself as a person that did what they were meant to do. I was there at the right time and the right place," Ted said.
The man, Andrew Bau, was reunited with the teenagers at Rainbow Beach on October 30 for the first time since the incident.
It is anticipated Mr Bau was without oxygen for more than 10 minutes after he suffered a suspected heart attack while surfing.
He has no memory of the day.
His near-eight-month recovery is approaching the end where he had to strengthen both shoulders after they were pulled from the rotator cuffs during the rescue.
As well as the shoulder injuries, his rehab also included cognitive and minor motor skills rehab while he also lost use of his hand after the accident.
Only recently has he received his drivers license, but Mr Bau's message is a simple one after he stared death in the face.
"Does the average person that goes to the beach and swims between the flags, ever go up and say thank you to a lifeguard? That's one of the things I do want to change," he said.
"The lifeguards are looking out for [beachgoers] every time they're out in the water and if they hadn't been looking out, my circumstances might have been much different."
There are, however, no lasting effects or any trepidation when he goes for a swim at the beach.
"With support, I was allowed to get back into the water eight weeks into my recovery and I was surfing at 12 weeks," Mr Bau said.
"I have faith in other things now.
"I'm eternally grateful to Surf Life Saving NSW, the captains, the presidents, the administrators, the trainers, the leaders and of course the two boys."
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