A HERO teen who saved a friend from drowning but tragically lost a second pal caught in a strong current while swimming described receiving a bravery award as “bittersweet”. David Akar, 14, from Togher in Cork city, became one of the youngest ever recipients of a National Bravery Award this afternoon at a ceremony in Dublin . David, who received a gold medal, is among 23 people who received awards at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.
Jack O’Sullivan, from Friars Walk in Cork , last died on August 24 last year after he got in to difficulty in the sea at Passage West in Cork. David, told the Opinion Line on Cork’s 96FM, that he was among a group of friends who went into the water that day only to quickly realise that the current was exceptionally strong. He said: “I checked the water first because everyone was saying, ‘You have the lifeguard certificate you check the water.
’ "The two lads jumped in from the right side of the pontoon and got in to difficulty. "My first reaction was to help them so I dived into the water straight away and first I helped one of the other lads. I put him over my right shoulder and brought him towards the pontoon.
"I swam back over to Jack. I tried many different saving positions for Jack. But the undercurrent was very strong.
We were just getting spun in a ball and thrown.” David said that he managed to get Jack over his right shoulder but the current was just too strong He said: "Jack was the same kind of build as me s.
