RLSSWA bravery award for boy (9) who saved woman (72) in Tapping pool

TYLER Guelfi was a “little bit scared” but didn’t hesitate to jump into a backyard pool and save an adult family friend who couldn’t swim.

Dale Bolin (72), who Tyler (9) calls “Aunty Dale”, was at a Tapping home in January when she tried to step into the wading area of the property’s pool but slipped and fell beyond her depth.

Tyler said he saw Ms Bolin sink “straight to the bottom”.

With no other adults outside at the time, the Midvale youngster took it upon himself to act.

“I jumped in and grabbed her by the arm, pulled her up and got her out of the pool,” he rec0ounted.

“I was a little bit scared until I jumped in and actually did it.”

Ms Bolin was shaken but fine after the incident.

Tyler said he learned the skills at school swimming lessons and through his father Andrew.

Mr Guelfi spoke of his son’s rescue with pride, saying Tyler had not been confident in the water as a young child after a “near-drowning” of his own.

“His older sister was swimming in the deep end so he wanted to swim in the deep end and he jumped straight in,” he said.

“It took a long time to get him back in the water after that incident.

“So what he did when he saw her (Ms Bolin) fall in the pool – just without hesitation, jump in straight after her was a pretty mean feat.”

The Weekender asked Tyler if his rescue had motivated him to become a lifeguard when he was old enough, to which he replied “yeah, probably”.

Tyler this morning receives a bravery award from the Royal Life Saving Society of WA.

He is one of 31 recipients from across WA.

Other locally-related recipients include:

• Molly Coldwell, who performed CPR on a cafe patron who collapsed in Hillarys in December last year.
• Jade MacDonald, Bec Johnston, Mike Tindale, Bob Edwards, Matt Williams and David Davies who worked together to save a man whose heart stopped beating while he was swimming at Craigie Leisure Centre in March.