The Australian of the Year award goes to….two people today!
Craig Challen and Richard Harris were both up for the Australian of the Year award today for their brave efforts in rescuing the Thai soccer team that was trapped in a cave for two weeks last year.
The awards committee, which gave out the award last night, praised both men equally for their “selflessness, courage and willingness to help others”, resulting in both men winning the award due to their work with the diving crews that saved the boys.
Craig Challen & Richard Harris have been cave diving partners for years
It’s the first time that the award has been won by more than two people, with you’re grandparents favourite rockers The Seekers taking out the honors in 1967.
The list of duties performed by the two men is truly mental and reads like something out of a Matthew Reilly novel.
Both stayed in the underwater cave system for three days when the rescue occurred, with Harris swimming the length of the cave system, performed medical checks on the children and administered anaesthetic to each of them, whilst Challen transported the children to safety.
The operation was more than just a casual scuba dive, with former Thai Navy Seal Saman Kunan dying in the process of swimming in the system before the rescue.
Watch the entire rescue story in animated glory
Other winners from last night’s ceremony included Indigenous rapper Baker Boy (Young Australian of the Year), Dr Suzanne Packer, for her work championing children’s rights (Senior Australian of the Year) & Kate and Tick Everett, founders of the Dolly’s Dream anti bullying organisation (local hero award).
Marryunna, the break-out single from Baker Boy, which came in at #17 on last year’s Hottest 100
