Teen gives life to save brother

MANILA, Philippines - A 13-year-old boy in Australia, who is scared of water, sacrificed his life to save his younger brother from the flood that recently ravaged the town of Toowoomba in Queensland last Monday.

Australian television CBS reported that when a rescuer was about to pull Jordan Rice out of the car carrying him, his mother Donna, and his 10-year-old brother Blake, he insisted his brother be saved first.

The car was stuck in the middle of the road as the flood rose rapidly. Jordan and Donna had to scramble onto the roof of the car.

The rescuer, truck driver Warren McErlean, however, could not save Jordan and his mother because the rope he was holding on to snapped. The car was immediately swept away by the raging water.

Twenty-five people have died since heavy rains pounded the eastern state of Queensland in November.

In a television interview, McErlean said he was saddened by his inability to save both boys.

“I just kept telling the boy (Jordan) that it was going to be alright, but it wasn’t. I just feel terrible for himself and his family. I just couldn’t get him out,” he was quoted as saying. 

On online social networking site Twitter, a wave of tweets dubbed Jordan the “true hero” of the Queensland floods.

As the truck driver tried to return to rescue the teenager and his mother, who were grabbing onto a tree, the rope snapped. Donna tried to reach her son, but could not get to him.

“Jordan was swept off,” said John Tyson, 46, Ms. Rice’s heartbroken partner of 30 years and father to her four children.

“As soon as he went, Donna just let go, you know, trying to clutch at Jordan. The poor little bugger, they just both drowned.’”

Tyson said his son could swim, but was scared of water.

“He (the truck driver) went to grab Jordan first, who said, ‘Save me brother.’ I can only imagine the fear coursing through his body.

“He won’t go down with any fanfare or anything like that – I don’t think anyone will even wear a black armband for him – but he’s just the champion of all champions, a family hero.”