Pardon me for taking a break from owning the libs for a minute, but this story is too good not to share.
This story is so good, in fact, that when I first read it, I had my doubts about whether it was even true. But multiple media outlets have reported on young Austin Applebee (while omitting a key detail, of course), and confirmed that, beyond belief, this boy performed an amazing feat to save his family in Australia at the end of January.
If you have five minutes to spare, I promise that nothing will warm your heart more in this frigid February than to listen to Applebee and his mother describe how God can empower us to do things we never thought possible. Watch:
NEW: 13-year-old Australian boy swims for four hours in cold and dangerous waters to save his mom and siblings who were swept into the ocean, says God is who got him to shore.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 3, 2026
The family was on kayaks & paddleboards when they were swept about 2.5 miles out to sea.
After a… pic.twitter.com/Gg7OctvHi4
I won't transcribe the full post from Collin Rugg because it's better to listen to the tale from the Applebee's mouth, and from his mother, but two key moments stand out:
'Not today, not today, not today. I have to keep on going.'
'I don't think it was actually me [swimming]. It was God the whole time.'
This, shamefully, is the part of the story that ABC News and other media outlets hid from their coverage of Applebee's heroic swim.
But they can't erase what he was thinking when he swam not only for his life, but the lives of his mother, brother, and sister. They only cast shame upon themselves for not mentioning it.
Enough about the dead legacy media, though, and why they continue to fail. This story is about Applebee.
Wow!!! What an amazing story of courage and divine intervention.
— General Mike Flynn (@GenFlynn) February 4, 2026
Gives me chills.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 4, 2026
His parents should be very proud.
Understandably, when it was Joanne Applebee's turn to speak in the video above, she couldn't even find the words to express how proud she was of her son.
I can barely find them either, so here are some words from others.
"I don't think it was actually me who did it. It was God the whole time. I kept on praying, I kept on praying."
— Jason Osborne (@JasonOsborne_GM) February 4, 2026
A young man in the mould of King David. https://t.co/0jnxTVErXJ
God Bless his heart! He is an absolute legend!
— Summer Sun (@WinterRainStorm) February 4, 2026
Oh my heavens. Just read this. I have no doubt God was with him. 🙏🏼
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) February 4, 2026
Swimming 2.5 miles alone is a pretty incredible feat for a boy his age (not to mention the sprint he had to do on land after that swim to find a phone). But anyone who has ever swum in the open ocean also knows how impossibly challenging it can be to fight those currents.
Can anyone doubt that God was with him the entire way?
Imagine ever trying to tell this kid he forgot to take out the trash. "Okay, fine, but remember the time I SWAM FOUR HOURS IN THE OCEAN TO SAVE YOU ALL?" https://t.co/GErq9DAgTZ
— Zack Stentz (@MuseZack) February 4, 2026
HAHA.
OK, I needed that laugh break because it was getting far too dusty in here.
There is another aspect of Applebee's tale that is worth highlighting as well. The part about what happened when he finally reached the beach.
An allegory for “modern Australia”, a young boy swims four hours through rough seas to save his family. No lifejacket. When he reaches shore, there is no help, only foreigners, who presumably barely speak English, so he runs two kilometres alone to find a phone. https://t.co/DHQtfPpmZ7
— Celina10101 (@celina101010) February 4, 2026
"When I got to the phone there was a lot of foreign people on the beach so I couldn't get much help."
— Peachy Keenan (@KeenanPeachy) February 4, 2026
He had to find a phone and call 911 because no one on the beach spoke English. https://t.co/LIkwvrMaB7
A tragic commentary on the state of Australia today. It says a lot about the December 2025 Bondi Beach shooting.
But Applebee didn't let that stop him because he is a hero. He went to find a phone because that's what heroes do.
God bless that kid and his family. He is a hero and definitely should be honored.
— Mitch🇺🇸 (@USVeteranMitch) February 3, 2026
Kid...
— Daniel Hussey (@DanielHusseyJr) February 3, 2026
You just were baptized.
Applebee talked about how he promised God that he would get baptized if he made it to shore and was able to save his family.
When he has some more time to reflect, I think he will realize that he already has been.
His heroic swim didn't come without consequences, however.
His legs were so messed up after the run that he needed to be put in a wheelchair.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 3, 2026
He is now on crutches.
Beast. pic.twitter.com/WrLSoLDblN
God gave him the strength to survive. I am sure that God will give him the strength to walk and swim again.
There are plenty of stories and posts on social media every day that make me -- make all of us -- shake our heads in frustration. There are far fewer that give us inspiration.
This is one of them.
Matthew 19:26 tells us that with God, all things are possible. Austin Applebee just proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt.
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