Australia: Surfer Priest Rescues Family from Drowning – A Hero of Faith and Courage
In Australia, Father Liam Ryan, nicknamed “the surfing priest”, once again demonstrated remarkable courage by rescuing a father and son from drowning in Broome, Western Australia — four years after saving a man from a shark attack.
Pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral, Father Ryan spotted two swimmers struggling near a dangerous rip current. He paddled out on his surfboard, reached them, and helped them safely return to shore.
“The water often looks calm, but here with the tides, you can quickly find yourself in danger without realizing it,” he told ABC News Australia.
Pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral, Father Ryan spotted two swimmers struggling near a dangerous rip current. He paddled out on his surfboard, reached them, and helped them safely return to shore.
“The water often looks calm, but here with the tides, you can quickly find yourself in danger without realizing it,” he told ABC News Australia.
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This heroic act echoes a rescue in 2021, when Father Ryan assisted a surfer who had been attacked by a shark. The man, severely injured in the leg and bleeding heavily, was helped back to shore by Ryan and another surfer after the priest called for assistance.
“I cried a little, then I blessed the Lord,” he recalled, describing a moment of prayer in the sand dunes after the traumatic event.
“There’s something inside us that naturally wants to help others. Christianity is built on that principle of self-giving. And in those terrifying moments, it’s God’s grace that gives strength.”
In 2022, Father Ryan was awarded the Australian Bravery Award for his heroic actions.
“I cried a little, then I blessed the Lord,” he recalled, describing a moment of prayer in the sand dunes after the traumatic event.
“There’s something inside us that naturally wants to help others. Christianity is built on that principle of self-giving. And in those terrifying moments, it’s God’s grace that gives strength.”
In 2022, Father Ryan was awarded the Australian Bravery Award for his heroic actions.
