A Lifesaver’s Story: Heroic Acts on a Road Trip
A Lifesaver’s Story: Heroic Acts on a Road Trip
It was a typical road trip back in 2006. My friends and I were riding motorcycles, and the scorching month of June in India was reaching its peak heat. To escape the sweltering temperatures, we decided to have a refreshing swim in the river Ganges. However, not all of us knew how to swim, so we opted for the connecting canal instead, where the water seemed less dangerous and the surroundings more inviting.
The canal served as a temporary retreat, providing us with the much-needed respite from the heat. Some of us who were confident in our swimming abilities stepped into the water, while the rest remained on the banks. During this time, a friend saw the canal as a perfect opportunity to cool down. Unfortunately, he misjudged the water's depth and started to panic as he couldn't feel the canal bed with his feet.
Heroic Rescue
Back then, I was not a strong swimmer, but I couldn't bear the thought of watching my friend die. I decided to swim towards him as quickly as possible. The water flow was strong enough to challenge a moderate swimmer, but we managed to steady ourselves. I held him by his hair, keeping his face above water, and swam towards the bank. However, fear and panic made him hold onto me tightly, hindering both our progress.
In an attempt to free him, I told him firmly that if he didn't let go, I would let him drown. After he calmed down, we managed to hold onto the rope thrown by my friends on the shore. Together, we were pulled out of the canal with the help of the rope. Just meters away, the canal dropped sharply, where a hydroelectric turbine was installed, leading to a sudden increase in water flow. Without the rope, our chances of survival would have been drastically reduced.
A Lesson and a Friend
Once we were out of the water, I felt anger surge through me. I punched him in the face, but my friends immediately came to his aid, trying to drain his lungs. Luckily, he did not swallow much water and was fortunate enough to survive.
When the adrenaline began to wear off, we all laughed about the hilarious and dangerous situation. My friend hugged me and thanked me, realizing how close he had come to death. He regarded the day not as a mere swimming excursion but as a second birthday, because I had rescued him from certain death. We all agreed to never go swimming in unknown waters again and moved on with our journey that night.
As a token of gratitude, he threw a huge party, complete with alcohol and food. He continues to celebrate that day every year, calling it his second birthday, because I had saved his life. This experience reinforced the importance of caution and the power of a friend's bravery and quick thinking.