A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints took quick action last week to save the lives of two young girls.
Duane Awa, 35, of Hastings, immediately responded to an emergency situation and saved lives.
Awa was driving his truck and trailer back to his workshop. It was Thursday 4 October at about 7:30 p.m.
It was starting to get dark when he noticed a car stopped in the road partially blocking the roadway. He stopped, rolled down his window and could not see anyone in the car, but noticed a woman out of the car standing near the stream. He also noticed a fence had been knocked down.
He heard a young girl screaming and crying. He quickly pulled his truck out of the road and hurried back to the scene. Another driver also stopped and Awa asked her to call for help.
He then noticed what appeared to be a mostly submerged car, with a man and a little girl on the roof. He said he must have been going on adrenaline because he immediately stripped down, jumped into the stream and swam to the car.
When Awa got to the car, he saw a man on the roof holding one daughter and another daughter half in the car and half out. He pulled the second girl out of the car and got her also up on the roof with the man who turned out to be the father.
He then asked the father if there were any other people in the car. When the man did not respond, appearing to be in shock, Awa ducked down underwater and felt around with his hands. He could find no one else in the car.
He then helped to calm the girls down. Others arrived on the scene. Fortunately, the car was wedged against a railroad bridge support, which kept it from being taken further downstream.
Awa and the father then worked together to get the two girls up on the bridge and to the shore.
Awa said, “I truly believe Heavenly Father gave us the strength to lift the girls up the high bridge supports up to the bridge.”
The girls were covered in blankets and comforted by the people who had gathered. They did not appear to be injured and looked to be approximately six and four years old, Awa said, and the father appeared to be in his 20’s.
“The father did really well calming the girls down,” he said.
Awa said he, himself, had a few cuts and bruises, but nothing serious.
After the incident, Awa said he was getting “all this hero thing,” but there were many others there who helped.
"[It was] one of those moments in time you think you would never encounter,” Awa said.
“We are all heroes in our own ways," Awa said. "Anyone would do [what was needed] in the same situation. I would want someone to be there to help if they were my kids.”
Awa is married and the father of three children. He works as a lineman for a power company.
He noted that the car entered the creek in an area with several hazards including a gas line. The car appeared to clear those hazards and wedge against the bridge support or else it could have been much worse.
“Heavenly Father didn’t let that happen,” he said. “I know my Heavenly Father was watching over me that night.”
There are over 110,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who call New Zealand home. Church teachings encourage members to help individuals, families and communities.
“We follow the example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by doing good,” said local Auckland area church leader, Toni Elkington. “We join with other Christians who love the Lord and want to serve their fellow man however we can.”
Farley Keenan, a Latter-day Saint leader in Hastings, said, “Duane Awa has always been the kind of man who helps others.”
Read more in a newspaper article here.