More than $70,000 has been raised for the pregnant girlfriend and unborn daughter of a heroic lifeguard who drowned trying to rescue a tourist.
Andy Powell drowned in rough seas near Port Campbell, Victoria, when the rescue boat carrying him and his father Ross, 71, flipped.
The 32-year-old and his girlfriend Amber Griffiths were just about to take over the nearby family farm and expecting their first child in August.
Amber Griffiths (right) praised the selfless act of her boyfriend Andy Powell, 32, (right) who drowned alongside his father while trying to save a tourist
Home and Away actress Jessica McNamee urged people to give money to the family left behind, and soon more than 600 people donated in just a day
Home and Away actress Jessica McNamee urged people to give money to the family left behind, and soon more than 600 people donated in just a day.
‘In support of our beautiful friend Amber who is currently facing something no one should ever have to,’ she wrote in an Instagram story on Tuesday.
‘We love you, we will support you and we will always remember Andy.’
Powell family friend Emma O’Halloran said the donations would ease the financial burden on Ms Griffiths and her baby.
‘Andy was loved by so many and would have been the most amazing father. He will be so missed and forever in our hearts,’ she wrote.
‘In support of our beautiful friend Amber who is currently facing something no one should ever have to,’ she wrote in an Instagram story on Tuesday
‘We love you, we will support you and we will always remember Andy,’ McNamee wrote
Ms Griffiths earlier mourned his death along with dozens of friends and family.
‘We lost two of the most beautiful people to ever exist – always putting others first. The love of my life, light of my life, father of my baby girl. My heart is broken. I miss you,’ she said.
Ross’ brother-in-law Tom Delaney said the whole family, including Andy’s sister Natalie who now lives in Sydney, were in town for Easter.
‘They (Ross and Andy) were so devoted to each other,’ he told Daily Mail Australia. Ross was known as Po to his family and friends.
The family also released a joint statement on Monday paying tribute to the two men as beloved fathers, brothers, and lifesavers.
‘Ross dedicated much of his life to contributing to his community. But above all, he was a cherished husband to Val, a dedicated father to Brett, Natalie, Dale, Kerryn and Andy, and dearly loved brother to Marea,’ they said.
Their lifesaver captain Phillip Younis was winched to safety with serious injuries in a dramatic rescue by an ambulance helicopter
‘He was very much loved and respected by many. Andy was always by his dad’s side and a beloved partner to Amber, son and brother.
‘We will miss our beautiful, big-hearted Andy and were so proud of the person he was – gentle, compassionate, loving and selfless – like his father. We are heartbroken.’
The family also sent their ‘thoughts and love’ to local lifesaving captain Phillip ‘Fuzz’ Younis, who was on the boat with them but survived with serious injuries.
Ross joined the Port Campbell Surf Lifesaving Club in 1963 and was a decorated volunteer until the day of his death.
The family recounted how he was involved in countless rescues, in particular one on a different Easter Sunday on April 6, 1980.
‘Ross and Patrick Plozza rescued two people near Loch Ard Gorge, for which he received a Certificate of Merit and Royal Humane Society Bravery Award,’ they said.
Marea, one of his five children, added: ‘Ross was the most wonderful brother. He was my ‘rock’.
‘My two children loved and idolised their uncle and loved their cousin Andy. Ross and Andy will forever live in our hearts.’
The 30-year-old Singaporean tourist survived and is in stable condition, but Ross and Andy’s (pictured) lifeless bodies were later pulled from the water
Andy was the youngest of the five kids and the one who followed in his father’s footsteps to become a dairy farmer, and join the SES aged 16.
‘Andy was very proud of his farm, and followed in his father’s footsteps,’ the statement said, noting he was named Young Farmer of the Year in 2017.
Ross and Andy, along with Mr Younis, rushed to save a tourist who was caught in a rip along the Great Ocean Road.
The man was wading in the mouth of the Sherbrook River, near the Twelve Apostles off Port Campbell, Victoria, about 10.40am on Easter Sunday.
But the vessel carrying the rescue crew, from Port Campbell Surf Lifesaving Club, flipped over, dumping all three men into the water.
The 30-year-old Singaporean tourist survived and is in stable condition, but Ross and Andy’s lifeless bodies were later pulled from the water.
Andy (pictured fourth from left in back row) stands for a photograph with a group of rowers from Port Campbell, Port Fairy and Warrnambool
Corangamite mayor Neil Trotter has paid tribute to the brave father and son (pictured is the scene)
Corangamite mayor Neil Trotter also paid tribute to the brave father and son.
‘It’s an absolutely tragedy — a surreal situation. These are lifelong members of the community and lifelong friends of mine. It hits home,’ he said.
‘They were extremely community minded. Very strong family ethic,’ he said.
A friend of Andy’s described him as an ‘engaging young man’ with a ‘huge heart’.
The volunteer lifesavers were on a 6m rigid-hull inflatable craft and battled 2m swells as they tried to reach the man.
The surviving rescuer, aged in his 50s, was rushed to hospital with serious back and leg injuries.
Melbournian Ian McCauley, who was on holiday with his wife, watched on as the surviving rescuer was winched from the waves.
‘We saw a very professional ambulance helicopter pilot hovering in dangerous updrafts very close to the water,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘He had lowered a rescuer in to the water who swam across and grabbed hold of the person in the water and they were both winched out.’
The lifesavers were on a 6m rigid craft and battled 2m swells as they tried to reach the man
An emergency helicopter winches the surviving lifeguard to safety. He was then rushed to hospital with serious back and leg injuries
Mr McCauley said they were only 50m away from very rough swells breaking against the cliff face.
‘The rescuer was very much putting his life in great danger. If it wasn’t for their bravery, more people would have died,’ he said.
‘I understand the boat was operating in a two-metre swell, so a very high swell, and we know that it is very treacherous down there and not the place to be swimming,’ Surf Life Saving Victoria president Paul James said.
He said the long-serving members of the lifesaving club were ‘heroes’ and their deaths were ‘terrible and heartbreaking’.
Mr James criticised the tourist for taking a risk that led to him needing to be rescued.
‘If the person has fallen into the water or for whatever reason they’ve ended up the water, it’s not a place that I would suggest was a great place for swimming or recreating,’ he said.
‘It would suggest to me they were taking some sort of risk to end up in the water.’
Mr James criticised the tourist for taking a risk that led to him needing to be rescued