Zahra Cecile honoured by Red Cross for her heroic act |23 December 2021
Ms Cecile in a souvenir photograph with RCSS officials and MNA Arrisol (Photo: Dionne Renaud)
Bel Ombre resident Zahra Cecile was yesterday honoured by the Red Cross Society of Seychelles (RCSS), following her heroic act where she saved the life of a young boy who was near drowning at the Anse Marie Laure (Bel Ombre) on December 14.
With the help of another person, Ms Cecile pulled the boy out of the water, before applying cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him, until help arrived.
In a small ceremony at her home yesterday, Ms Cecile was presented gifts, including hampers, and other essential accessories for members of her family.
She also received an RCSS-branded first aid kit from the society’s health coordinator Karine Ernesta.
Present at yesterday’s ceremony were member of the National Assembly for Bel Ombre Sandy Arrisol and other members of the RCSS.
On the day of the incident, Ms Cecile said she was at home with her children when he heard a boy asking for help, regarding his friend who was having difficulties while swimming.
She explained that particular day, she had planned to visit her mother, but for one reason or another, she did not go, as if God wanted her at that place at that particular time.
Upon hearing the call for help, Ms Cecile rushed straight to the beach where a passer-by, who also heard the cry, had already stripped and was about jump into the water.
Ms Cecile said even after several minutes of observation, they could not see anyone in the water, until later when she noticed a boy floating and being dragged by the current.
She said the man jumped in and managed to grab the boy, but was encountering difficulties since there were waves crashing.
It was at that time that she also jumped in the water and helped to bring the unconscious boy ashore.
Once on the beach, Ms Cecile said she performed CPR – compression – on the boy, without any result.
It was only after several minutes that he started breathing, before being taken to the Seychelles Hospital in a police car.
She said on the way to the hospital, the boy began to throw up a huge amount of seawater, swallowed while struggling against the current.
She successfully accompanied the boy to the Casualty Unit of the hospital and handed him over to the medical team.
Ms Cecile said following the incident, she was a bit traumatised and a parent herself she has become more paranoid about leaving her kids unattended, let alone allowing them to go to the beach.
Following the incident, which fortunately was not fatal this time, MNA Arrisol is urging the authorities involved to erect a warning sign in the area to warn people, both tourists and locals, about the possible dangers within the area.
Roland Duval
