Local fishermen have been hailed as heroes after saving a an eight-year-old autistic boy who became lost along Melkbosstrand Beach.
Their flink dink and rats moves not only saved the day but also showcased the power of autism awareness.
The Grade R pupil was at the beach with his parents on Sunday, but got spooked by two Scottish terriers and took off running along the coast.
He ended up covering nearly five kilometres, from Eerste Steen to Melkbosstrand, feeling lost and scared.
Fortunately, the local fishermen noticed the young boy’s distress.
Renato Carrico, one of the fishermen from the Nite Owl Angling group, says they received a messaged about a missing boy.
Renato says: “I saw this little boy, and he had this Springbok t-shirt on, and I told my wife, isn’t that the boy from the post on the group.
“I got out and approached the boy, he looked tired from running all that distance.”
Understanding the boy's needs, Renato and two other fishermen created a soothing atmosphere around him.
Renat explains: “It was difficult with the little boy because he doesn't talk. Eventually I got him to calm down because he was anxious of all that running.
“We showed him the fishing rod to try and distract him.”
He adds: “I’ve got family that has kids with autism, so I have dealt with [autistic] kids before.
“You can’t just approach them, you have to be calm and calm them down. They are very intelligent in their own way.”
A couple of hours later, the boy was reunited with his parents after Roderick Elliott, who leads the fishing group, sent a message to the mother about her son’s whereabouts.
Mom Lente Kannemeyer expressed her gratitude, saying they are very thankful that the fisherman who found her son understood the situation.
The relieved mom says: “He managed to keep my son entertained while we were driving to Melkbosstrand to be reunited as a family.
“We are thankful that there are caring people out there like them. People with autism are easily threatened, so he could have started running again.
“Thankfully, the fisherman was a friendly person with a kind heart.”
Kannemeyer further urged mense to obey “no dogs” rules at beaches.
She adds: “The dogs were off leash and territorial in a nature reserve where dogs are not allowed at all.”