A young boy, known as a “water baby,” applied the “float to live” technique to save himself when a vacation boat accidentally left him behind while snorkeling in Turkey. Nine-year-old Walter Keeler utilized his basic lifeguard training to stay safe as he and others were carried out to sea by the current. His parents, in distress, witnessed the boat’s premature departure, leaving Walter and around 20 other British holidaymakers adrift in the rough waters.

Despite his parents’ frantic pleas to the boat captain to turn back, Walter remained calm and drew on his lifesaving skills learned at Stoke Mandeville Stadium. Taking swimming lessons twice a week, Walter, now ten years old from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, participated in advanced classes that included stroke techniques and essential water safety training through the RLSS UK’s Rookie Lifeguard program.

Reflecting on the incident from last August, Walter shared his experience to support the Save Lives for Sam water safety campaign by recalling how he remembered his lessons to stay composed and float on his back when the boat left him stranded during the third stop of the trip off Kemer’s coast. His parents, Elaine and Charles, praised Walter’s composure and quick thinking during the ordeal, emphasizing the importance of his drowning prevention lessons.

Walter’s parents highlighted their son’s years of swimming experience and the invaluable water safety knowledge he had acquired, emphasizing the importance of learning essential lifesaving skills for water-related emergencies. Walter’s bravery and self-rescue abilities were acknowledged with a certificate from the RLSS UK, underscoring the significance of floating as a crucial self-rescue skill and a key aspect of water safety practices.

Encouraging others to practice floating and emphasizing the importance of water safety, the RLSS UK Head of Water Safety and Education commended Walter for his poise and readiness in adapting to changing sea conditions. The Rookie Lifeguard program, designed for 8-12-year-old swimmers, aims to instill confidence, teamwork, and emergency response skills, emphasizing the necessity of both swimming proficiency and water safety awareness. The program advocates for everyone, whether a Rookie Lifeguard or not, to learn and practice floating as a fundamental lifesaving skill before engaging in water activities, especially during the summer holidays.