Adam Benjamin Whitehouse awarded Silver Medal for bravery at Tin Can Bay incident

It was the story that broke the Gympie region’s heart. The courageous truck driver who went to the rescue of two young boys who were drowning in Tin Can Bay in 2017, has been awarded for his bravery with a prestigious medal.

Adam Whitehouse has been awarded for his bravery with a Silver Medal presented to him on Friday May 21, 2021.

A 52-year-old truck driver who went to the rescue of two boys who were fighting for their lives after going for a swim at Tin Can Bay in 2017, was awarded the Silver Medal in the The Royal Humane Society of Australasia Annual Bravery Awards on Friday, May 21.

Adam Benjamin Whitehouse was walking on the beach at the time when he noticed two boys in trouble in the fast flowing water.

Mr Whitehouse entered the water and swam about 15m to the boys who were panicking.

Over a period of about five minutes, he managed to tread water, fight a strong tide and exhaustion to keep the boys afloat.

This was made more difficult as the boys were climbing over him to stay above water.

Another man, Graeme Spillman, was on his boat anchored in the channel and noticed Mr Whitehouse struggling with the boys about 300m away.

Adam Whitehouse (left) and Graeme Spillman (right).

Mr Spillman immediately jumped into his tender vessel, a 2.4m aluminium dinghy, and quickly got to Mr Whitehouse and the boys.

He saw that Mr Whitehouse was holding on to the wrist of a boy who was motionless under the water and the other young boy was clinging on to the back of his neck.

Mr Spillman reached down, grabbed the motionless boy and dragged him into the dinghy before pulling the other boy into the boat and showing him how to continue providing CPR to the motionless boy.

“As soon as the boys were safe he (Mr Whitehouse) went like a rag doll,” Mr Spillman said.

“He said: ‘I’m exhausted, I’m going,’ and he just let go and sank.”

Leaning over the boat, Mr Spillman said “no you’re not” and grabbed the exhausted swimmer’s hand before he disappeared.

Both men agreed Mr Whitehouse’s life was seconds from being over.

"I'd pretty much taken my last breath - I was certain of death. Another second and I was gone," Mr Whitehouse said.

It took Mr Spillman about three minutes to get to the shore where others helped to get both the boys and Mr Whitehouse on to the beach.

Tragically the 9 year-old-boy, later identified as Riley (his last name was not published due to his mother’s request) died at the scene.

Mr Spillman was sent a Letter of Commendation for his actions that day.