Australian Father Saves Son, then Dies in Rip Current
Posted: January 26th, 2010 | Author: jason | Filed under: disaster, riptides | Tags: berringer, caravan park, Carole, club, father, finnian, friend, Joe, junior competition, Lake Conjola, Luna Park, Margaret Fitzgerald, Mr Black, Mr Pauner, Newtown, old luna park, police superintendent, quiet achiever, rip, Sherry, sherrys, South Coast, Steve Black, STEVE PAUNER, Superintendent Starling, Superintendent Wayne Starling, venue manager | No Comments »STEVE PAUNER died doing what any father would do: risking his life to save those of his children. The 48-year-old Luna Park venue manager became the second father in less than a week to die during an ill-fated beach rescue.
His death at Lake Conjola, on the South Coast, just four days after Joe and Carole Sherry died in front of their three children, has again reminded beachgoers of the danger of rips. .
The Sherrys died while trying to save their children from a rip in the surf, but Mr Pauner, his two sons and a family friend were only wading across a lake inlet when they were caught in a rip.
Mr Pauner, his sons Caillin, 9, and Finnian, 13, and the 17-year-old friend were walking across the entrance of Lake Conjola about 7.30pm on Sunday. The inlet was only five metres wide, but the force of the rip pulled the boys out to sea.
Initially all three were in trouble and Mr Pauner went in to help. The friend helped save one of Mr Pauner’s sons and Mr Pauner went back in to save his other son. But when the three boys were back ashore they could not see Mr Pauner.
They alerted local surfers and holidaymakers in the nearby caravan park who began a search.
People had risked their own lives to try to help Mr Pauner, said Shoalhaven Police Superintendent Wayne Starling. Mr Pauner’s body was found at 8pm and pulled to shore, where attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
”I know what any father in that situation would do,” Superintendent Starling said. ”He was a very brave man who paid the ultimate price.”
Mr Pauner, a former band manager and the treasurer of the Newtown Swans Australian football club, had been on holiday with his family and friends at Berringer Lake.
The president of Newtown Swans, Steve Black, described him as a ”great stalwart” of the club.
”He was very community-minded and loved to watch his sons, Finnian and Caillin, play in the junior competition,” Mr Black said. ”He was a devoted father and … a quiet achiever with a wicked sense of humour and [he was] much loved and respected by everyone at the club. He will be sorely missed.”
Mr Pauner’s wife, Margaret Fitzgerald, and the boys returned to their Newtown home yesterday.
Police reminded all beachgoers yesterday that it was safest to swim between the flags at patrolled beaches.
Anyone who is caught in a rip is advised not to panic, and not to swim against the current.




