Richard Harris named SA Australian of the year, for his role in the Thailand cave rescue
CAVE diver and anaesthetist Dr Richard Harris has been named SA Australian of the Year, after his crucial role in rescuing 12 boys and their coach from a Thailand cave this year.
THAI cave hero Dr Richard Harris has been awarded SA Australian of the Year after he risked his life to save 12 boys and their soccer coach from a treacherous flooded network of tunnels.
At a reward ceremony at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night, a packed crowd heard Dr Harris was the last person to leave the dark underwater hideaway.
Dr Harris used his skills as an anaesthetist, as well as an extensive knowledge of cave diving, to guide the sedated boys to safety.
Dr Harris received a standing ovation as he received the award presented by South Australian Governor Hieu Van Le.
“I’m overwhelmed and very grateful for the award and the nomination. I’m fiercely proud to be a South Australian so to get this award from this state is an honour.
“I was just going about my two passions, cave diving and medicine. They have grown in parallel since my early 20s. I’ve really enjoyed that path. It seems bizarre that they combined for an event like the one in Thailand.
“The boys are too busy with their international commitments to be in touch but we are planning to go over there next year and see them.”
The heroic actions of the international rescue team had captivated audiences around the world.
Premier Steven Marshall congratulated Dr Harris and the other award winners for their individual contributions to South Australia.
“I sincerely congratulate Richard, Reg, Eleni and Megan for the extraordinary contributions they have each made to the broader South Australian community,” Mr Marshall said.
“Each individual recognised has conducted themselves with passion and integrity; whether it be using their skills to help others at great risk, to forge a new path which others may follow, to preserve culture and country or overcome their own challenges to make a difference for others in need.
“They are extraordinary South Australians of whom we can be exceptionally proud.”
THE OTHER AWARD WINNERS
Reginald Dodds — SA Senior Australian
OVER his lifetime, Arabunna elder Reginald Dodd has worked tirelessly for the recognition and advancement of his people.
Mr Dodd, 78, begun the Lawyers for the Arabunna Marree People movement, enlisting lawyers from all over Australia to lend their knowledge, skills and time pro bono to gain Native Title.
He achieved this goal in 2012 after 12 years of petitioning the courts.
He spent countless hours using a Roget’s Thesaurus to understand the complex legislation surrounding Native Title applications.
Mr Dodd has now shifted his attention to National Heritage listing for Arabunna land, funding for restoration work and emergency assistance to Arabunna women and men.
Mr Dodd has also designed and taught courses at RMIT University and led cultural immersion tours through the Lake Eyre region since 1996.
He is a passionate photographer, holding several exhibitions across South Australia.
Mr Dodd said the award was making him think about what else he could do for his community. “I think this nomination has allowed me to open other doors, I thought I had done all I could do but I can see new opportunities here and new doors opening up.”
Eleni Glouftsis — SA Young Australian
AT the age of 25, Eleni Glouftsis made history, taking to the field last year as the first woman to officiate an AFL game as a field umpire.
In high school, Ms Glouftsis umpired in local amateur leagues, later being awarded the AFL Female Pathway Scholarship.
She was the first female umpire in the SANFL and went on to umpire 33 games in the VFL.
She finally broke through into the top league in 2017 after ensuring her fitness was up to scratch.
Ms Glouftsis said she hoped her history-making move into the top ranks of the umpiring world would inspire young girls passionate about umpiring.
National Australia Day chief executive Karlie Brand said the 2019 award winners were a tribute to the diversity of South Australian achievements.
“The South Australia Award recipients are making a difference locally, nationally and internationally — we look forward to welcoming them to Canberra in January for the national awards,” Ms Brand said.
Ms Glouftsis said: “This is all extremely humbling, I look at the list of nominees and all the things these people are doing, it is a great celebration of diversity and the inspirational things people are doing.”
She said she looked forward to the day she would achieve her long term goal and umpire a game on Adelaide Oval.
“All my friends and families are her in South Australia, they supported me through my SANFL and junior years so to be out there on the big stage would be amazing.”
Megan McLoughlin — SA Local Hero
MEGAN McLoughlin was given only weeks to live after suffering acute renal failure.
A short time before the heartbreaking prognosis, she was declared legally blind following serious medical complications.
But from some of the worst days in her life, Ms McLoughlin recovered, saved by an emergency organ transplant.
Since then, she has dedicated her life to promoting organ donation in the community through her organisation, Herd of Hope.
Ms McLoughlin was one of only 64 people worldwide to have delivered two children after a double transplant.
Through her charity, Ms McLoughlin has been advocating for mental health services for rural communities and successfully held a cattle drive on Bondi Beach to raise awareness.
Despite facing two cancer diagnoses this year, Ms McLoughlin had vowed to continue raising and motivating the community.
“This is all completely overwhelming,” Ms McLoughlin said.
“Growing up in the regional areas I didn’t even know these really existed so this is an honour.”
Ms McLoughlin vowed to continue her work in regional communities assisting organ transplant recipients, their families and country communities as a whole.
“One in three transplant recipient is regionally based, so we will continue to support them in the coming years,” she said.
DR HARRIS’ CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE THAI CAVE RESCUE
Dr Harris and his dive partner Dr Craig Challen and seven other Australians involved in the rescue were awarded bravery medals shortly after returning to Australia.
Dr Challen was awarded WA Australian of the Year on Wednesday.
The rescue operation stretched over three days in early July, with divers, oxygen tanks and medical personnel spaced throughout the cave to guide the boys, aged between 11 and 17, back to the cave entrance.
The team had entered the Tham Luang Nang Non cave network on June 23 as part of a team building exercise and to celebrate one of the boys’ birthday.
However the team were cut off by monsoonal rain which flooded the caves and left the boys isolated four kilometres from the cave entrance.
Only their shoes and bags were found at the entrance to the cave.
Local authorities feared the worst and the disappearance soon gained international attention.
The boys were found by two British cave divers on July 2, malnourished and trapped in a secluded segment of the vast cave network.
Dr Harris was preparing for a cave diving holiday in the Nullarbor when he got the call to join the international rescue effort, which tragically claimed the life of Thai Navy SEAL diver Saman Kunan several days after the boys were found.
Dr Harris sedated each of the boys before they left on the perilous journey.
The boys were guided through the flooded caves, which were as narrow as 38cm, forcing the divers to remove their tanks to fit through the tight gaps, over several hours.
However, the sedative lasted only an hour and Dr Harris had to train other divers and military personnel how to administer the medications which would keep the boys calm and still during the rescue.
The award comes a day after Dr Harris’ diving partner, Dr Craig Challen, who was also integral in the perilous dive, was honoured with the title of Western Australian of the Year.