13 Years Old. No Life Jacket. Sharks Nearby. What He Did Next Is Unbelievable.
- Professor Puddlewick
- Feb 26
- 6 min read
Imagine you're 13 years old. You're out on the ocean in a small, sinking kayak. The waves are rough. The wind is howling. Your mum and younger siblings are stranded further out at sea. There are sharks in these waters.
What would you do?
For Austin Appelbee, a 13-year-old from Western Australia, this wasn't a hypothetical — it was real life. In January 2026, Austin swam four kilometres through open ocean to reach shore and call for help, saving his entire family. The swim took four hours. He did it without a life jacket. And he'd recently failed a 350-metre swimming test at school.
His story is extraordinary — and it's packed with lessons every student can carry into their own life.
What's Really Going On: The Science of Grit
When we face extreme pressure, our brain's threat response kicks in — it's often called "fight or flight." Most people freeze or give up when things feel impossible. But some people push through anyway.
Psychologist Angela Duckworth calls this grit — the combination of passion and perseverance when things get really hard (Duckworth, 2016). Grit isn't about being fearless. It's about feeling terrified and keeping going anyway.
Austin was scared. He thought he saw something in the water. He wasn't sure he'd make it. But he kept swimming.
That's grit in action.
5 Lessons From Austin's Story You Can Use Right Now
1. Think Happy Thoughts — Seriously
Austin kept his mind going by thinking about the people and things he loved most — his girlfriend, his family, and yes, Thomas the Tank Engine. This wasn't random. Research in sport psychology shows that using positive mental imagery can improve physical performance and help people push through pain and exhaustion (Martin et al., 1999).
Try this: Next time you're struggling — a hard exam, a tough training session, a scary conversation — anchor yourself to a happy memory or a person you care about. Let that feeling fuel you.
2. Break the Impossible Into Small Steps
Austin didn't think about swimming four kilometres. He thought about the next stroke. Then the next. Research on goal-setting shows that breaking a big challenge into small, manageable chunks makes it far more achievable (Locke & Latham, 2002).
Try this: When something feels overwhelming, ask: What's the very next small step I can take right now? Focus only on that. Then the next one.
3. You Are Capable of More Than You Think
Here's the wild part: Austin had just failed a 350-metre continuous swim at school. Yet he swam four kilometres in open ocean. How?
Psychologist Carol Dweck's research on growth mindset suggests that when people believe their abilities can grow — especially when the stakes are high — they often exceed their own expectations (Dweck, 2006). Austin had a reason so big that his body found a way.
Try this: When you hear a little voice saying "I can't do this," talk back to it. Ask: "Have I been in a hard situation before and got through it?" The answer is almost always yes.
4. Staying Calm Helps Everyone Around You
While Austin swam for his life, his mum Joanne was doing something just as brave out at sea — keeping eight-year-old Grace and 12-year-old Beau calm. She sang with them, made up songs, talked about dinner, and discussed Moana. She chose calm over panic, and it kept her children alive.
Research in emotional intelligence shows that when one person in a group stays regulated, others tend to calm down too — a concept called co-regulation (Siegel & Bryson, 2012).
Try this: The next time someone around you is stressed or panicking, try being the steady one. Speak slowly and calmly. It can genuinely change the energy in the room.
5. Even When You're Scared, You Can Still Act
Austin was terrified. He prayed. He thought he saw sharks. He questioned whether he'd make it. But he kept going. Courage isn't the absence of fear — it's moving forward with fear.
Researchers at the University of Michigan found that reframing fear as excitement — saying "I'm excited" instead of "I'm scared" — can actually improve performance under pressure (Brooks, 2014).
Try this: Before something that scares you — performing, speaking up, trying something new — say out loud: "I'm excited." Your brain hears something similar to courage. And sometimes, that's enough to get you started.
Real-Life Examples: School and Friendships
At school: You've bombed one practice test and you're convinced you'll fail the real exam. Austin failed a 350-metre swim — and then swam four kilometres. One result doesn't define what you're capable of. Show up, try again, and see what happens.
With friends: Your friend group is falling apart over a disagreement and you feel like you need to step up. Channel your inner Joanne — be the calm one, keep the conversation going, and focus on what matters: keeping the connection alive.
Quick Recap
Resilience under pressure isn't about being fearless — it's about acting even when you're scared.
Positive thinking and small steps are real, practical tools that can get you through the hardest moments.
You are almost always more capable than your last test result suggested.
Vocabulary
Hypothetical – Imagined or not real; a “what if” situation.
Perseverance – Continuing to try even when something is difficult.
Grit – Passion and perseverance for long-term goals, especially when things are hard.
Threat response – The body’s automatic reaction to danger (often called “fight or flight”).
Mental imagery – Using your imagination to picture positive or successful outcomes.
Overwhelming – So intense that it feels hard to handle.
Growth mindset – The belief that abilities can improve through effort and learning.
Co-regulation – When one calm person helps others regulate their emotions.
Reframe – To change the way you think about something.
Resilience – The ability to recover and keep going after setbacks.
Regulated – Calm and in control of your emotions.
Discussion
Understanding the Situation
What do you think Austin felt in the first few minutes after realising the kayak was sinking?
Why do you think most people would freeze in that situation?
What made Austin keep going even when he was scared?
Grit & Growth Mindset
What is the difference between being talented and having grit?
Why is it significant that Austin had recently failed a 350-metre swim test?
How does this story challenge the idea that your last result defines you?
Can you think of a time you surprised yourself by doing something harder than expected?
Managing Fear
Is courage the absence of fear, or something else?
Why might reframing fear as excitement improve performance?
What physical signs tell you that you’re nervous or scared?
What strategy from Austin’s story could you use when you feel overwhelmed?
Breaking Big Problems Down
Why is focusing on “the next stroke” more powerful than thinking about four kilometres?
How can breaking tasks into small steps help with exams or assignments?
What is one big goal you could divide into smaller actions this week?
Emotional Regulation & Leadership
Why was Joanne’s calmness just as important as Austin’s swim?
How does one calm person change a stressful situation?
When have you seen someone’s panic make a situation worse?
How can you practise being the “steady one” in your friendship group?
Reflection & Application
When have you blamed yourself even though you did your best?
What helps you keep going when you want to quit?
Who or what could you think about when things feel hard?
What is one area in your life right now where you need grit?
References
Brooks, A. W. (2014). Get excited: Reappraising pre-performance anxiety as excitement. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(3), 1144–1158.
Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner.
Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717.
Martin, K. A., Moritz, S. E., & Hall, C. R. (1999). Imagery use in sport: A literature review and applied model. The Sport Psychologist, 13(3), 245–268.
Siegel, D. J., & Bryson, T. P. (2012). The Whole-Brain Child. Delacorte Press.
ABC News. (2026, February 4). Austin Appelbee's incredible tale of survival has made international headlines. How did the 13yo do it? https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-04/austin-appelbee-13yo-boy-swims-to-shore-to-save-family-australia/106301468
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