Mona Vale Beach: Swimmer, surf club member Janice Mason dies
Tributes are pouring in for a well-loved northern beaches mum and surf club member who died after being found unconscious in the water on the northern beaches.
Manly
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Tributes are pouring in for a well-loved mum and “very fit” swimmer who died “doing what she loved” at Mona Vale Beach on Friday morning.
Janice Mason, 69, of Newport, had previously competed as a masters for Mona Vale Surf Life Saving Club, winning Australian medals for swimming and board paddling.
The long service member, who was married to Alan, former president of the both seniors and juniors at the club, “made the most of every day”, according to current club president and family friend Bryce Munro.
Mrs Mason was pulled from the water unconscious just before 7.30am during a regular swim session and members of the public gave her CPR until paramedics arrived.
She died at the scene.
“It’s a shock because she was so fit,” Mr Munro, 45, of Mona Vale, said.
“She was well recognised in the community and when she was at the club most people knew her.
“She was a lady ahead of her time.
“She spoke her mind.
“If she wanted to do something she would do it.”
Mr Munro said Mrs Mason, originally from South Africa, had previously volunteered as a patrol member and held a number of other positions on the committee.
Her children and some of her grandchildren had also been nippers at the club.
She was also a regular swimmer at Mona Vale Beach with others who would swim across Mona Vale basin in the mornings and then grab a coffee.
He said she was part of a group that believed in a “healthy mind, healthy body”.
The surf club today posted a picture of Mrs Mason in her Mona Vale SLSC swimsuit and wrote: “Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with Alan Mason, Rowan, Brigitte, Sean and the grandchildren of our beautiful member Janice Mason.
“Janice sadly passed unexpectedly this morning, with Alan by her side, doing what they loved. “Janice will be missed by us all and remembered for the wonderful caring person she was.
“RIP Janice.”
Emergency services were called to Mona Vale Beach after reports a woman had been pulled unconscious out of the water.
A NSW Ambulance spokesman said four crews were called to the scene just before 7.30am to find bystanders performing CPR.
Insp Jill Walters said the woman was believed to have suffered a medical episode in the water and she was pulled out unconscious by bystanders and given CPR.
When paramedics arrived they also worked on her.
However, despite everyone’s heroic efforts the woman could not be saved.
“Unfortunately she died at the scene,” Ins Walters said.
She said a number of police were in attendance, along with multiple ambulance crews.
