A teenager whose father drowned trying to rescue him from the waves has won an award as he fights to prevent the same tragedy from happening to other families, his mother has revealed.
Ashwin Bhalsod, 54, tragically died on a beach in Yallingup, south of Perth, on October 1, 2022, after swimming to rescue his sons Isaac and Jeremiah, then aged 15 and 13 respectively.
A local netizen attempted to access a defibrillator at the location after calling triple-0, but was allegedly forced to wait a crucial seven minutes before being given one. PIN code to open the device.
Imelda Bhalsod said the tragedy prompted Isaac to speak out to demand a review of regulations to increase accessibility to life-saving devices, leading to him being recognized as Community Citizen of the Year 2024.
“I felt compelled to address the issue involving the defibrillator lockbox pins, especially after witnessing how a more efficient procedure could have saved my father’s life,” Isaac said when accepting the award last month.
Isaac Bhalsod (pictured left) with his mother Imelda and brother Jeremiah
‘The loss of a loved one impacted me deeply and served as a powerful motivator to advocate for change. My family’s experience fueled my determination to prevent others from suffering similar loss and pain.
“By raising awareness about this issue, I am grateful that my family and I have been able to make positive change, potentially saving numerous lives.”
The 16-year-old, who is a gifted child and member of the high-IQ MENSA society, said it was a great honor to receive the award, which he said has fueled his determination to “continue to make substantial changes on a broader scale.” “.
The former Guildford Grammar School student, who started secondary school aged 10, is in his first year of a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Western Australia and has set his sights on making contributions to the country’s health system.
“In five years I imagine myself working in a hospital, either in research or applying my knowledge directly to medical practice,” he said.
“I have aspirations to continue my studies in medicine with the goal of becoming a doctor, although I am still exploring this path.”
Isaac received the City of Swan Young Community Citizen of the Year award last month
The Bhalsod family appears together in happier times.
In November 2022, just a month after losing their father, Isaac and Jeremiah spoke out to share their story in an attempt to fight for change.
speaking to Nine Perth NewsThe brothers said their father might still be alive if there had not been a delay in using the defibrillator.
‘It should be something quick because when a serious emergency occurs, the code should be delivered instantly, but it took several minutes, and I’m frustrated that it took so long because there would have been some hope if it had been necessary. less time,” Isaac said at the time.
“It’s actually not good enough…they should know all this stuff and I could still have my dad today if it weren’t for them.”
It is understood the triple 0 caller was taken to St John Ambulance, where he had to wait two minutes for someone to answer.
They then contacted the police, who did not know the PIN code, so they called the paramedics to get it.
Bhalsod, who was not a swimmer, jumped into the water when he thought he saw his children struggling in the water.
When the podiatrist reached the teens, he pushed Jeremiah toward the shore before he and Isaac were dragged onto the rocks.
The brothers said their father could still be alive if the defibrillator could be used in time.
A local Internet user tried in vain to access a defibrillator after calling triple-0, waiting a crucial seven minutes before receiving a PIN code to open the device.
Isaac told Nine News Perth he could see his father struggling in the water.
“So I said, ‘Hey, hold on to me, I’ll hold on to these rocks.’ So we stayed there for about 30 seconds until a couple of waves hit us and we were separated from each other and I couldn’t see him,” Isaac said.
He said a couple of rescuers helped him and his brother get back to shore and then went to look for their father.
But a couple of minutes later he saw his father’s body floating face down in the water, as the men dragged his body before beginning CPR.
The delays in reaching the life-saving device were part of a report given to the state coroner.
St John Ambulance and Western Australia Police also carried out their own independent investigations into the case.
Delays in reaching the life-saving device will form part of a report to the state coroner (pictured, Yallingup Beach, Western Australia).