A Co Monaghan grandmother has spoken of her joy and relief after her daughter and three grandchildren survived a ten-hour ordeal in choppy waters off western Australia last week.
Doreen Cunningham's grandson, Austin Appelbee, was described as "superhuman" after he swam 4km to shore to raise help after a paddleboard and kayak excursion went wrong.
"I think that he’s brilliant and I think the world of him, it’s wonderful for them to be alive and well."
Ms Cunningham said the ordeal began after her daughter Joanne and the three children, 13-year-old Austin, Beau who is 12, and eight-year-old Grace, were swept out to sea on Friday afternoon.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Ms Cunningham said her daughter and grandchildren had hired out the kayaks for "a bit of fun" while on holiday in the area.
She said Joanne spoke to her after the family were released from hospital at the weekend and told her what had happened and how close they came to tragedy.
Listen: 'Nana Doreen' speaks of her relief after her daughter and grandchildren survive sea ordeal
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Ms Cunningham said that Austin "kinda drifted out a bit" and when Joanne looked she felt that he had gone too far.
However, when she went into the water to call him back, in a wave hit and she "went up in the air and down, with the other two with her as well".
She said Joanne eventually reached Austin "to give him a good telling off and come back in...but the waves kept coming and the wind started to get worse and worse and worse, and they couldn’t get back".
Ms Cunningham said that when Austin offered to swim to shore, his mother initially said no, but as time went on she made the decision to let him go.
She became emotional as she recounted how Austin "felt every wave that came, he was going back instead of going forward", and took his life jacket off as he made his way to shore.
Watch: Mother amazed at son's bravery
She said her daughter had no idea whether he had made it or not and over the four hours he was gone "she was sure that he was drowned".
But, she said, Joanne kept "going and kept trying and kept the other two talking and singing".
After Austin raised the alarm, a boat and helicopter were dispatched and the family were rescued, but not before the two younger children "broke away".
"So when the men of the boat got into the water and captured the two, so they all got saved."
Watch: Austin Appelbee recounts how he swam 4km to raise alarm
Ms Cunningham said that the family were taken to hospital after they were rescued.
She explained that they had tickets to see Ed Sheeran at the weekend, which was a Christmas present, and ended up getting VIP access, so they were "delighted with that and it cheered them up a bit".
Ms Cunningham, or Nana Doreen as her grandchildren call her, said she was very proud of them.
"I'm proud of the two boys and the wee girl, she's a very, very shy little girl, she doesn't like publicity at all, but the two boys are fairly good, and herself [Joanne]."
Referring to the kayaks and paddle boards the family had hired, she added that she hoped what happened would be a lesson for other people "not to go out on them damn things".
Read more:
Monaghan mother 'amazed' at son's bravery in Australian sea rescue
'Superhuman' teen swims hours to save family stranded off Australian coast
