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Simon Lewis has been nominated for the 2017 Victorian Australian of the Year for his volunteer work as a lifesaver.

Simon Lewis (Humanitarian Lifeguard) (born 21 December 1984) in Melbourne, Victoria, is a volunteer lifesaver. Once the St Kilda Lifesaving Club captain, he is now the only Australian in a team of six in an intentional team of International Surf Lifesaving Association (ISLA). Since joining missions with the ISLA, Lewis has helped save over 1,400 African and Syrian refugees as they attempted to cross the dangerous waters of the Mediterranean Sea to Greece and Italy. As well as being the first Australian to be the head of mission on the central migration route for the German NGO Mission Lifeline. Simon participated in the ASRC's yearly telethon which raised over $800,000 for the organisation to continue to help those in dire need.

Career

Simon began his lifesaving career on St Kilda beach in Melbourne, Victoria, where he became the St Kilda Lifesaving Club Captain. After seeing the photograph of three year-old Syrian boy, Aylan Kurdi, who's drowned body washed up in Turkey in 2015. He lean't that the International Surf Lifesaving Association was looking for volunteers and Simon quickly applied. By 2016, Simon's application was successful and he was on his way to volunteer with search and rescue in Lesbos, Greece. He stated in an interview in 2016 that his "only motivation is lifesaving" and that is why he left his hometown and across the world in attempt to save lives.

Simon was also a part of the search and rescue team on board the MS Aquarius, a joint venture between SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Boarders. This mission again helps to save the lives of refugees who attempt to cross the dangerous Mediterranean sea. He will continue to be a part of lifesaving missions by the ISLA and a part of future missions to help save as many lives possible.

Volunteer Work

Since joining the International Surf Lifesaving Association in 2016, after working as a lifesaver on the beach of St Kilda in Australia, Lewis has volunteered his time and skills to help save the lives of over 1,400 African and Syrian refugees who attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Greece or Italy. The role model admits that he "has the skills to save lives and I will go where the need is". In 2016, Lewis was a part of a six man team who helped save 517 refugees, ranging for babies of six months old to 80 year-old adults. Simon and his team also helped raise $22,600 via their gofundmepage.

His next mission will be off the coast of Libya where 327,800 have attempted to make the tetras journey. The journey is so dangerous that one in 88 are likely to be found dead on arrival to the final destination. Lewis will be one of the search and rescue team members on board the MS Aquarius, which will be a joint team between the SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders. Again, Simon is attempting to help raise money as well as volunteering as a lifeguard, so far he has raised $1790 and his overall target is to raise $5000. This will be able to go to the ship to buy much needed medical equipment for the mission ahead. He is also the first Australian head of mission for a non-for profit organisation (NGO) on the deadliest migration routes in the world.

Lewis will also continue his volunteer work to help refugees by being a part of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) Telethon on World Refugee Day. He will be one of thirty-three people taking donations over the phone in attempts to celebrate the strength and resilience of refugees and help raising funds to support refugees. Simon's participation in the ASRC's yearly telethon helped raise over $800,000 for the organisation to continue to help those in dire need.

He was also helped Port Phillip Council to provide floating wheelchairs and special matting at St Kilda and Port Melbourne beaches under a $65,000 initiative. Lewis and the St Kilda Life Saving Club are responsible for rolling out the matting, allowing these beaches to become more accessible for people with disabilities.

Refugee Rescue

Simon Lewis was a part of the International rescue mission that took place off the island of Lesbos in Greece. Before the mission started, Simon and his team of six others helped raise $22,600 online. During this mission, the ISLA team saved 517 refugees lives as they attempted to cross dangerous waters to Italy and Greece. Although it's estimated that over 5000 died attempting this journey in 2016 alone, which each week thousands of refugees attempt to cross the tetras sea. Simon admits that even 11 months after the mission took place that "Lesbos is still with me" after seeing the deaths of many refugees.

Between 2015-2017, Simon has helped save the lives of of nearly 1,400 African and Syrian refugees as they have attempted to the cross the Mediterranean Sea to Greece and Italy. His refugee rescue missions will continue as he embarks to off the coast of Libya where over 300,000 refugees have made the dangerous journey across the tetras waters in life rafts, where one in 88 are likely to die.

Recognition and achievements

In 2017 Simon Lewis was nominated for Victorian Australia of the Year for the Local Hero title for helping to save more than 500 refugees lives in January 2016. He was nominated alongside former AFL star, Neale Daniher who helped raise millions of dollars for MND research.

He was awarded an International Life Saving Federation Citation of Merit in 2016. Simon also joined the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, based in Malta during August 2017 and was contracted as the No. 1 lifeguard for three rotations until September 2017. He is also the first Australian head of mission on the central migration route for the German NGO Mission Lifeline. As well as being the first, and still only, Australian lifeguard to have worked both the central and western Europe migration routes for refugees. Lewis was also selected by the City of Port Phillip Mayor, Bernadene Voss, as a local hero to be a baton bearer for the Queen's baton in the lead up to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC). He will carry the Queen's baton on the relay route through Port Phillip on 17 November, 2018.

Simon Lewis (left) carrying the Queen's baton next to Port Phillip Mayor, Bernadine Voss in the lead up to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC).

Michael Danby, a member of Australian Labour Party recently had high praise for the lifesaver stating in a Constituency Statement that "(Lewis) has inspired not just my community but Australia—even many parts of the world—with his acts of bravery and compassion in the face of the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean".

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Mr Danby.

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