AQUINAS’ REAL-LIFE HERO

There are some brilliant stories and some amazing people playing VAFA football. Sam Porter of Aquinas is one of the special ones.
This from the front page of today’s Herald Sun.
The teen has helped save three lives in two years in an incredible series of chance encounters that in 2010 earned him a Pride of Australia Outstanding Bravery medal and prompted him to apply to join the police force.
In his most recent effort Mr Porter, 19, helped rescue Adrienne Beames, 70, who nearly drowned when her back played up in shallow water at St Kilda Sea Baths on Wednesday.
The North Caulfield woman has wholeheartedly thrown her support behind her hero’s aspiration to become a police officer.
"He’s done three amazing things and I think he will be a good cop — and we need more like him," Ms Beames said.
When Ms Beames was sighted with her face in the water just before 2pm on Wednesday Mr Porter, of Brighton East, was one of the first on the scene.
Running from the nearby Beachcomber Cafe, where he works, he arrived as a woman from the neighbouring gym pulled Ms Beames, the first woman to run a marathon in under three hours, from the water.
"She was lying on her back and we thought she was dead," he said.
The two flipped her on her side and Sam helped clear her airways before patting Ms Beames’ back until she coughed up water.
Yesterday she said her memory of events returns at the moment Mr Porter wrapped her hands around his fingers and told her to squeeze if she could hear him.
Mr Porter’s life-saving, hat-trick began in 2010 when he jumped on to train tracks to help a girl, 16, who had been bashed at Gardenvale.
Last year he pulled an elderly woman from her car after he found it crumpled against a tree in Ringwood.
HERO SAM’S BRAVERY
June 2010 After witnessing the brutal bashing of a teen at Gardenvale Station, Sam jumps onto the tracks and pulls the youth to safety. His heroism is rewarded with a Pride of Australia Outstanding Bravery award.

March 2011 On his way to drop a mate off from school Sam sees an elderly woman’s car crumpled against a tree at the top of an embankment. Sam and his mate lift her from the car and comfort her until emergency services and her daughter arrived.

Wednesday  While at work, Sam races to the aid of a near-drowned woman and helps to revive her, before comforting her until emergency services arrive.