Mario Sardelich: Allambie Heights hero honoured 42 years after saving boy at Manly Dam

Mario Sardelich is set to receive a bravery award for plunging into a cold, murky dam to save a drowning Sydney teenager 42 years ago.

A man on the northern beaches is being hailed a hero this week for a selfless act of bravery that saved a young boy’s life — more than four decades ago.

Mario Sardelich, of Allambie Heights, is to receive a civilian bravery award for plunging into the cold, murky waters of Manly Dam in December 1978 to save a struggling, drowning teenager.

The front page of the Manly Daily from December 6, 1978, with the article about the rescue and drowning at Manly Dam.

Mr Sardelich, 64, who will receive the Commendation for Brave Conduct in the Federal Government’s Australian bravery Decorations, also tried to find another boy who disappeared beneath the dam’s surface.

But that boy, Peter Mastroianni, 16, could not be saved.

Mr Sardelich told the Manly Daily on Tuesday that he remembers the incident clearly.

A group of about 20 fourth form, or year 10 boys from Manly Boys High School, were celebrating the end of the 1978 school year with a picnic at the popular swimming spot at Manly Vale on December 5.

Mr Sardelich, a 23-year-old carpenter with the then Metropolitan Water Sewerage and Drainage Board — now Sydney Water — was on a call out job to the office, on the eastern side of the dam wall, when he heard desperate screams for help around 11am.

After he made his to the top of the dam wall, he could see a boy swimming towards the bank and another boy struggling to keep another boy afloat.

“It was my first time at Manly Dam,” he said.

“stripped down and dived in. My God it was cold.”

The Manly Dam wall, and picnic areas in the distance, where the boys were having an end of school year picnic. Picture: Manly Daily

Mr Sardelich swam towards the pair but by the time he got there, the boy who was trying to keep his schoolmate afloat was struggling in the deep water himself, about 10m away from the shallows.

“He was blue, frothing at the mouth and panicking, scratching at me and pulling me under.

“But I managed to grab him and get back to the edge of the dam wall.”

Mr Sardelich recalled that the other boys were shouting to him “get Peter, get Peter”, the boy who disappeared beneath the surface.

The heroic carpenter repeatedly dived down in the dark, cold waters to feel for the teen but wasn’t able to locate him.

Peter’s body was later recovered by police divers.

Mr Sardelich, who said he still gets emotional when he thinks back to that day, thought someone was playing a joke on him when he was told he would receive the bravery commendation.

“It was so long ago. I can’t work out why this is happening now.”

The boy who Mr Sardelich saved still lives on the northern beaches and runs a successful business.

He told the Manly Daily he does not want his name used because it was still an emotional episode in his life.

“Peter and I were good friends, very close,” the man said.

“I remember a man swam out and helped me. I’d like to meet him again.”