Following the incident at St Brelade’s Bay on 26 May, Nardine Nicolas was described as the ‘hero of the day’ by the Jersey Fire and Rescue Service, which said she had ‘most certainly saved the swimmer from drowning’.
And now the Committee of the Humane Society has awarded its Bravery Certificate to Ms Nicolas, who works as a digital manager at the Channel Islands Co-operative Society.
It is believed the man she rescued had been drinking before going for a swim and getting into difficulties around 300 yards from the shore.
By the time the emergency services arrived, Ms Nicolas had the situation in hand, having borrowed a kayak from someone on the beach and paddled out to save the man.
A statement from the Humane Society said: ‘The certificate, which takes the form of an inscribed, framed parchment, will be presented to Ms Nicolas at a date to be decided.’
Asked how she felt about the award, Ms Nicolas said: ‘All I can say is I am
honoured to receive the recognition but feel I was just in the right place at the right time.
‘I was also very fortunate that our emergency services were so prompt to respond to the call, and the swimmer in question walked away unscathed. I would hope that anyone who had the means and the ability would have done the same thing.’
She added: ‘It’s vital in these times that, as a small community, we look out for one another more so than ever, and I see that demonstrated by many on a regular basis in and out of the water. That is the true Jersey way.’
