There have been few good news stories to come out of the flood crisis on Australia’s East Coast, but this will make you smile.
Pharmacist Skye Swift was stuck in the northern NSW town of Tweed Heads wanting to get to her flooded business in Murwillumbah to distribute essential medication to the elderly and infirm.
The roads were closed and Murwillumbah (pictured right) is underwater.
“We were all flooded out of the CBD,” Skye said. “But Tuesday morning I woke up and thought, ‘I want to be at work today’. Everyone told me I couldn’t, because the roads are closed, so I posted on Facebook saying if anyone can devise a way for me to get to Murwillumbah by boat, I’ll open the pharmacy.
“A guy took me on his tinnie across flooded cow paddocks towards Tumbulgum, so I got a hold of them and said, ‘I’m in a tinnie, can a jet ski meet me?’
“He said keep an eye out, and … within a minute, a jet ski turned up with Mick Fanning on it.”
Mick (pictured above) is a former multiple world surfing champion who, along with another former world surfing champion Joel Parkinson, has been working tirelessly ferrying people to safety and taking essential supplies to people.
“I was stoked, I was grateful, I was a little bit chuffed it was Mick for a bit of sunlight around the day,” said Skye, who did open her pharmacy.
“[Mick] was adorable and lovely, he reached out last night and said, ‘If you need help getting medicines out, just give us a call.’”
Our hearts go out to the many people affected by the floods.
