Popular sand sculptor, Innocent Zungu, has been praised as a courageous hero after dropping everything and grabbing a buoy to rush to the aid of a distressed father and daughter caught in a rip current at Brenton-on-Sea.
Knysna, South Africa (12 February 2026) – Praised for his talent of transforming beach sand into stunning sculptures, Lindokuhle Innocent Zungu is no stranger to being featured on Good Things Guy. In this story, however, we’re celebrating not only his craft but also his remarkable act of heroism.
While working on a sculpture on Brenton on Sea Main Beach in Knysna recently, Innocent heard screams for help from a father and daughter coming from the ocean. Without a second thought, he grabbed the NSRI pink rescue buoy and launched into the water.
“They got caught by the rip. I grabbed the pink buoy and I put the rope around me,” Innocent said.
He dove into the water, threw the buoy in and swam to Chris and Nina van Eck, who had become exhausted while trying to keep afloat in the water.
“We couldn’t hang on to each other because we would drag each other down,” recalled Chris, who had gone into the water in an attempt to save his distressed daughter.
“At that stage, I wasn’t calm anymore. For me, there was no way out. I didn’t have the energy to fight it anymore. I had no clue how we were going to get out or if we were going to get out. Death became a reality.”
Thankfully, Innocent’s quick-thinking would avert the father’s growing fear.
The pull of the rip current led Innocent right to them. Though he faced the hard decision on who to save first, Innocent quickly devised a plan to wrap the rope around himself, handover the buoy to Nina, and rush to help Chris.
“As soon as I got hold of that buoy, there was a calmness that came over me. Innocent was very calm and kept telling us not to worry and that he’d get us out,” Chris said.
Once all three of them had a hold of their part of the buoy, they continued to float until Innocent noticed a break in the waves. He went under the water and steadily pulled both Chris and Nina as he kicked on the sand beneath, moving towards the shore.
They made it to the beach by that time the NSRI had reported to the scene. A doctor and NSRI medics administered medical treatment to Chris, who was semi-conscious, suffering non-fatal drowning symptoms. Nina, thankfully, suffered no injuries.
“No words can describe the relief you feel when you put your feet on the sand again,” said a grateful Chris.
All three are profoundly grateful for the NSRI pink rescue buoys, a simple tool that proved to be the difference between tragedy and a miracle.
Innocent has earned well-deserved praise as a hero from the NSRI, the general public and us! Innocent, your quick thinking, bravery and compassion saved a family, and your spirit inspires us all.
Sources: NSRI
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