He and his mother, Joanne, and two younger siblings were dragged offshore in rough conditions during a family outing. The family was later found clinging to paddleboards and rescued. During the swim, Austin focused on positive thoughts despite rough seas and eventually made it to land.

The rescue took place off the coast of Western Australia, with emergency services locating the remaining family members at sea after the boy raised the alarm. Local authorities praised the boy’s actions, describing them as critical to the successful rescue. The boy was treated for exhaustion and dehydration after reaching shore, but did not require hospitalisation. Joanne Applebee spoke on RTÉ One, highlighting the difficult decision to send her son for help and the dangers they faced.