In an astonishing turn of events, a 19-year-old surfer who went missing off the northern NSW coast has been found alive on a remote island.
Darcy Deefholts was last seen surfing at One Tree, Wooli, on Wednesday afternoon, but when he failed to return, his father, Terry Deefholts, raised the alarm with a desperate plea on social media.
A Father’s Desperate Plea
“HELP – I NEED BOATS, BEACH WALKERS, DRONES AND 4WDs and PLANES AT FIRST LIGHT,” Terry Deefholts’ emotional post read.
As the search efforts continued, Mr. Deefholts urged anyone with a seaworthy vessel to join the search, saying the family was “fearing the worst.”
A One-in-a-Million Miracle
And then, in an incredible twist, Darcy was found on Thursday morning, almost 13km out to sea on North Solitary Island off Wooli.
His father described the story of survival as a “one-in-a-million miracle,” saying he was “over the moon” but still trying to process everything.
Darcy was receiving medical treatment, and his father couldn’t fathom how the teen survived being swept kilometres out to sea.
A Community Rallies
The community rallied around the Deefholts family, with over 1100 shares of Terry’s Facebook post, offering assistance and well wishes.
The NSW Police and Marine Rescue NSW joined the search efforts, with Inspector John Murray saying the Marine Rescue NSW vessel Wooli 30 was tasked with the search-and-rescue mission.
Darcy’s survival is a testament to the power of community and the importance of never giving up hope.