My son’s still here thanks to you two (From Southend Standard)

My son’s still here thanks to you two

11:00am Monday 10th September 2012 in Echo News

A MUM has thanked an Echo paperboy and his pal for saving her son’s life.

Sara Sinani, 45, discovered her teenage son T-Jay had been rescued from the sea by the heroic pair when a policeman came to her house in North Road, Westcliff .

T-Jay, 19, was dragged from the water near the Pebbles Two cafe, by Echo paperboy Charlie Feddon and his friend Jamel Barns, both 15 and pupils at Cecil Jones High School.

He was taken to Southend Hospital where he was put in intensive care for a short time as he was suffering from hypothermia, but he has now been allowed home where he is resting.

After calling Cecil Jones School to thank her son’s rescuers, Mrs Sinani said: “I appreciate so much, from the bottom of my heart, what those boys did for my son.

“If they weren’t there, I don’t think my son would be here. I am so glad they were there, those boys and the other gentleman were so brave. I want to thank everybody who helped him.”

As her son recovered from his ordeal, Mrs Sinani said she wanted to thank a third person who helped by swimming out with a rubber ring. She will also be making a donation to the lifeboat which aided in the rescue.

The RAF helicopter, police and paramedics were called at 5.15pm on Wednesday, after T-Jay got into difficulties.

Mrs Sinani said he hadn’t been drinking and had only got to the beach about an hour before the incident.

She added: “He hadn’t been in the pub. I asked the people at the hospital if he had been drinking and they said no.

“They said he went out on a bet to see how far he could swim. It was the current that took him.

“He panicked, basically. He started off by the Three Shells and ended up by the Sealife Centre.”

Pauline Harris, headteacher at Cecil Jones, said the school would be rewarding the lads involved.

She said: “I am immensely proud of our students.

“It just shows a tremendous sense of spirit, bravery and courage.

“They showed such maturity and selflessness, it is a very heartwarming thing to see.”