‘TRUE HEROINE’: 14-Year-Old Girl Leapt Into a Deadly River to Save a Drowning Teen—What Happened Next Stunned the Entire UK
A TEENAGE girl who risked her own life trying to save a drowning boy has been awarded one of Britain’s highest honours for bravery.
Heroine Shelby Quigley, 14, ripped off her clothing and walking boots before diving into a fast-flowing river after seeing 15-year-old Lotus Bowker disappearing beneath the surface.
Lotus Bowker died after getting into difficulty in water
Brave Shelby Quigley swam underwater and reached struggling Lotus and dragged him back to the surfaceCredit: Royal Humane Society – MEN Media
The youngster battled strong currents in the River Wyre near Garstang Cricket Club in Lancashire, where she was taking part in a Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Expedition.
Brave Shelby showed immense courage and swam underwater, reached Lotus, and dragged him back to the surface.
But the water was too deep for her to stand and keep his head above the water.
Instead, the schoolgirl, from Lytham St Annes, spent much of the rescue submerged herself as she desperately fought to keep the teenager alive.
Emergency services were called to the river just after 2.30pm on May 17Credit: Refer to source
The boy was airlifted to hospitalCredit: Refer to source
A man then entered the river and helped drag Lotus to the bank, where attempts were made to resuscitate him.
15-year-old Lotus was airlifted to Royal Preston Hospital before being transferred to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
He died the following day.
Shelby’s courage has now been recognised with the rarely awarded Royal Humane Society Silver Medal for outstanding bravery.
Andrew Chapman, secretary of the Royal Humane Society, said: “What she did was truly incredible for one so young.
“Sadly, the boy died in hospital later, but without doubt Shelby gave him the best possible chance of survival.
“Few people would have persisted in the way she did when they were so close to drowning themselves.
“Somehow though she stayed calm and showed incredible bravery.
“Very few people are awarded our silver medals but she richly deserves it.
“She was a true heroine.”
Lotus was one of a number of people who died in open-water incidents during a heatwave in May last year.
The teenager, from Kirkham, had jumped into the river with three friends on May 17 despite not being able to swim properly.
He had a developmental learning disorder which meant he had communication difficulties and “didn’t know risk”.
His condition also affected his ability to judge danger, and he often tried to cope by copying his peers.
His mum, Andromeda, had warned him not to enter open water and later described him as “easily led”.
At an inquest last October, area coroner Emma Mather concluded Lotus died by misadventure caused by the unintended consequences of an intended act.
She said: “Lotus was potentially quite easily led, in part because of his disorder … and I also find that this affected his ability to weigh up risks.
“He has been encouraged by his friends to swim and jump, but he was not pushed by his friends or bullied.”
