Deaf hero defies razor rocks and chill | Northland News | Local News in Northland

When the call to be a hero came, Wendy Smith wasn't going to let ice-cold Whangarei Harbour water and cuts to her feet from rocks and oysters put her off swimming out 50m to save a boy's life.

Wendy, who is deaf, is a reluctant hero - but a hero all the same - after she put her own life at risk to rescue a boy aged about six or seven who was drowning off the Onerahi foreshore on Saturday on an outgoing tide.

When her colleagues at the Ministry of Education found out about her heroics on Monday - Wendy is the Northland adviser on deaf children - she was cheered into the office.

The tag of hero is not something she's particularly comfortable with, but she said  she and husband Mark Ewen just kicked into action when they realised help was needed.

"It's just something you do. You don't think about it, you just get in and do it," she said of her heroics.

The couple were driving along Beach Rd with 7-month-old son Luke strapped into the back about 12.45pm when Mark heard a young boy cry for help. It was then that their instincts and previous training - both have done first aid courses - kicked into action.

"We saw this dog with a lead but no owner and slowed down, and Mark heard a kid yelling for help. We pulled up and walked towards where the yelling was coming from and about 100m along we saw this boy aged about nine or 10 who was hysterical," Wendy said.

"He said his brother was drowning in the water. We [she and Mark] didn't need to talk about it. We both knew I was the strongest swimmer and he was able to communicate with the ambulance, so I went in after him."

She cut her feet numerous times walking along the oysters and rocks and almost hesitated