One year to the day after James McCullough was seriously injured hitting his head on a rock when diving into the Kakanui River, 11 young people who helped save him were honoured in Timaru yesterday.
At an emotional ceremony which included a few tears, Timaru Mayor Damon Odey yesterday presented Water Safety NZ merit certificates to ''those heroes'' - as James' mother Stephanie McCullough described them.
''To be finally recognised for what they did is a fitting tribute on the anniversary of his accident,'' she said yesterday.
The rescuers were Dylan Barber (18, Fox Glacier), Brian Bell (18, Twizel), Ben Davis (18, Fairlie), Jacob Donaldson (17, Arrowtown), Cowan Fearn (18, Papakaio), Jesse Forbes (17, Te Awamutu), Kahu Grant (19, Oamaru), James Hutton (18, Oamaru), Michael Jacobs (17, Oamaru), Jack Mansfield (18, Ikawai) and Kyle Rickard (Woodend).
James (18), who lives in Temuka with his family, feared he would end up a paraplegic after breaking his neck. But he was at the ceremony with his friends and rescuers, walking with a slight right limp and restricted movement in his right arm.
He is working on both problems, reflecting his determination with his rehabilitation that has seen him get back close to normal faster than anyone expected, even water ski-ing during the Christmas holidays.
James, a boarder at Waitaki Boys' High School, where he was known as Jock, missed obtaining sufficient passes to enter Lincoln University to study for a degree because he was away from school recuperating. So, this year he plans to go to Lincoln for a year's study for a diploma of agriculture, which will then earn him entry to the second year of the bachelor of agriculture degree he wants.
James' accident happened late in the afternoon on January 31, 2013, after he and some friends were invested as prefects at Waitaki Boys'. It was a hot day and they went out to the Kakanui River, arriving at a dark pool where they went in and checked it and thought it was safe to swim in.
James was the third to dive in, but hit a sharp-pointed schist rock, suffering a scalp cut and fracturing two vertebrae in his neck. The next thing he knew he was drowning and could not get to the surface because his arms and legs would not work.
''From this point on his friends proved just how amazing they are,'' Mrs McCullough said.
They noticed blood in the water and one pulled James to the surface. James told them that he was a paraplegic and had broken his neck.
It was a deep pool and so they supported James in the pool treading water while applying pressure to his head wound. They then pulled him half out of the water to assess the situation.
Four boys went for help - two in each direction because there was no cellphone coverage in the area. An ambulance and the Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter were called out.
Back at the pool, the remaining five boys had also enlisted the help of another two older boys, who helped lift James out of the water, keep him warm and stabilise his neck.
The accident occurred about 4.15pm with the helicopter airlifting James out at about 6.45pm.
''All these young men kept their heads when faced with this accident and did not panic. They did whatever was asked of them, all the time knowing that their friend of almost five years was critically injured,'' Mrs McCullough said.
They rendered immediate first aid, got help from older peers and organised ambulance assistance, then had the presence of mind to phone James' family as the helicopter left to tell them clearly what had happened and answer questions.
James spent four nights in intensive care in Christchurch Hospital before being transferred to the Burwood spinal unit for a further 14 weeks. Their care for him continued, as they visited him in hospital.
