Austin Appelbee was enjoying a morning on the water with his mother and two younger siblings, kayaking and paddleboarding. That is, until the wind picked up and the water became choppy, pushing them farther out to sea and unable to paddle back. But Austin braved the ocean and swam for hours by himself back to shore to alert emergency services, who dispatched a helicopter and rescued his family. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more details.
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World. Can we count on you?