Karly Harris still has vivid memories of her selfless act of bravery

KARLY Harris can still see the desperate faces of the father and son she risked her life to rescue on that late April afternoon in 2004.

KARLY Harris can still smell the salt water, feel the cold waves, and see the desperate faces of the father and son she risked her life to rescue on that late April afternoon in 2004.

Just 15 at the time, Karly was fishing with her cousin at Edithburgh Jetty when a man ran by begging for someone to call for a rescue boat.

Michael and John Cowdrey were in the water and young John was being dragged under by the weight of his jacket.

While others stood by helplessly, Karly stripped off her jumper — “down to my bra and trackies” — and jumped in.

“I don’t know why no one else jumped in but they were being swept out by the current and I just dove in,’’ she said.

“I got to them and Michael told me to look after his son. I tried to get his jacket off but he was taking on so much water I just had to start to kick into shore.

“I told Michael to follow me, he was talking to me, telling me to look after John, but when I looked back I couldn’t see him anymore.

“It still upsets me today.”

Karly managed to pull John into shore, saving the young man’s life. Although exhausted, she swam back out for Michael too. Sadly, he died later that day.

The following year, Karly was awarded a Bravery Medal.

“I’m only really openly speaking about the award now,’’ Miss Harris, now 24 and a stay-at-home mum of two young kids, said.

“My nanna would introduce me as the award winner but for years I’d be embarrassed but now I’m embracing it.

“Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s having my own kids, but I’m proud.”

Miss Harris reunited with inaugural 2005 award winners Jay Dohnt and Sister Carmel Christie to mark the 10th year of the Pride of Australia awards.

Dohnt was only 13 when he lost both legs below the knees and four fingers from his right hand to meningococcal disease — a disease that almost cost him his life — but just two years later he was awarded a Pride of Australia medal for being a child of courage.

After surviving the disease, and overcoming renal failure and cardiac arrest, 15-year-old Jay decided to swim. And swim he did, eventually winning bronze at the Beijing Paralympics in the 400m freestyle, and competing at the games in London.

Now 24, Jay has given swimming away but is focused on bigger and brighter things.

With his Argentinian girlfriend, swimmer Daniela Gimenez, by his side, the third year social work and international relations student is off to Buenos Aires in December to volunteer for 12 months with disadvantaged children from the city’s poorest region.

“It doesn’t feel like 10 years to me,’’ the Woodville resident said.

“It was pretty cool that people thought of me as having courage, pretty cool to be recognised.

“But I’ve always done my own thing and have never tried to outdo things. I’m just doing what I want to do.”

Sixty years after joining the Sisters of Mercy, Sister Carmel Christie’s life has changed in many ways since she received a True Blue Lifetime award for her work in foster care and the love she showed for hundreds of South Australian children through more than 40 years work.

The 80-year-old moved into a retirement home just after her birthday, as increasing memory loss had others worried for her safety.

But as memories of faces and deeds have grown dim, Sister Carmel’s essence, her caring soul, has remained.

“Others speak of her as calming and peaceful. She’ll sit with dementia patients when they are agitated and calm them,’’ friend, Sister Gabrielle Travers, said.

“She has this quiet understated compassion.”

“I just love how children are,’’ Sister Carmel said this week.

“My whole life I have felt this mothering role.”

The Pride of Australia nomination period launches today and runs until Tuesday, July 29 and pays tribute to Australians who do extraordinary things throughout our communities.

The ten categories include Outstanding Bravery Medal, Courage Medal, Heroism Medal, Community Spirit Medal, Child of Courage Medal, Young Leader Medal, Care and Compassion Medal, Inspiration Medal, Environment Medal, and the Fair Go Medal.