Miracles happen around us everyday.
Recently, God strengthened one teenage boy to help his family in a moment of peril.
In Western Australia, the Appelbee family went out on their kayaks and paddleboards in Quindalup, which is about 125 miles south of Perth, while on vacation. During this time, winds pushed them off the shore away from the Geographe Bay, as The Guardian reported. In a moment of desperation, mother Joanne Appelbee had her 13-year-old son, Austin, kayak toward the shore to get help.
However, things took another turn. Austin’s boat filled with water, and he had to swim 2.5 miles back to land. Austin swam with his lifejacket on for the first two hours, then removed it to swim faster.
Despite the extreme danger of the rough water, Austin told 7 News that he was not doing this alone.
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“I don’t think it was actually me that did that,” Austin said. “It was God the whole time. I kept on praying, and praying, and I said to God, ‘I’ll get baptized’…and I went to church on Sunday.”
Austin finally made his way to land, where he was able to contact authorities for help.
“I hit the bottom of the beach, and I just collapsed, and then after that, I had to sprint 2km to get to the phone,” he said, as The Guardian reported.
“I said, ‘I need helicopters, I need planes, I need boats, my family’s out at sea.’ I was very calm about it. I think it was just a lot of shock.'”
NEW: 13-year-old Australian boy swims for four hours in cold and dangerous waters to save his mom and siblings who were swept into the ocean, says God is who got him to shore.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 3, 2026
The family was on kayaks & paddleboards when they were swept about 2.5 miles out to sea.
After a… pic.twitter.com/Gg7OctvHi4
While Austin didn’t know if his family was still alive, police found Austin’s mother, brother and sister still alive as they held onto their paddleboard 9 miles from shore.
In moments like these, we are reminded that God is not distant from the cries of His people—He is present, powerful and faithful to respond. Stories like this should stir our faith and bring glory to the One who still performs miracles today. In a world that often tries to explain away the supernatural, testimonies like Austin’s point back to the reality that God is still writing stories of rescue, redemption and protection.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment.
