ALICIA SOROHAN 01:00 I'm no hero, I still say I'm no hero -1 did^what I had to do, he needed help and I was there, I was the first one there - so I just jumped on the croc and that was it yeah.
ANDREW KERR 01:16 Once it had my leg, I thought I was going to die - I thought this is it.
REPORTER 01:23 IT'S THE STUFF OF HORROR MOVIES.. A FAMILY CAMPING HOLIDAY ON A REMOTE BEACH.. A FOUR POINT TWO METRE MONSTER.. AND THE MOST UNLIKELY OF HEROES.
ALICIA SOROHAN 01:33 Every time somebody sees you they call you 'the croc lady' or something like that you know - yeah that's me.
REPORTER 01:40 ALICIA SOROHAN IS THE BRAVE BRISBANE GRANDMOTHER .. WHO JUMPED ON A THREE HUNDRED KILO SALTWATER CROCODILE TO SAVE FAMILY FRIEND ANDREW KERR.
ANDREW KERR 01:50 Just that split second saved my life yeah -
IT'S A PRETTY EXTRAORDINARY THING TO DO? - it is yeah.
REPORTER 01:58 THIS INCREDIBLE TALE OF COURAGE BEGAN ON THE BEACH AT BATHURST BAY.. IT'S WHERE THE SOROHAN FAMILY WERE CAMPING WITH RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. ANDREW KERR .. HIS WIFE DIANE .. AND THEIR THREE AND A HALF MONTH OLD SON KELLY WERE IN A TENT TWENTY METRES FROM THE WATER IT WAS FOUR IN THE MORNING WHEN THEY WOKE TO THE NIGHTMARE
ANDREW KERR 02:19 We were lying in bed and I could hear a noise outside -I could hear a thud - thud -and another thud..
DIANE KERR 02:26 As soon as it stopped I looked straight ahead and the crocodile's head was pointing in our direction - it was as though it's nose was nearly touching the screen.
ANDREW KERR 02:37 I just sat up and as I sat up it lunged and hit the front of the tent.
Dl KERR 02:45 I had already jumped up to my feet, cause I'd seen the crocodile lunge at Andrew -jumped to my feet, that's when Andrew yelled out, grab the baby, grab the baby - Kelly was lying beside me in a bassinet. A
ANDREW KERR 02:55 I was pushing it off with my hands - and I felt it crunching but didn't feel anything at all. I just felt the mouth and the crunch, (coughs), and it grabbed on my arm up here and pulled me down a little bit and that gave me quite a bit of a fright. And I lunged back a bit and suddenly I thought, hang on, I'm in a lot of trouble here, Kelly's safe, - I'm going to be eaten
Dl KERR 03:27 I could feel Andrew thrashing about beside me - the crocodile was thrashing him about - and he was yelling and I was screaming, Andrew, Andrew, Andrew - and he was still yelling out, grab the baby Di, grab the baby, I can't remember if I yelled out, he's taking you to the water Andrew - he's taking you .. and my immediate reaction was to grab Andrew with my other arm -1 don't know if that did anything but I didn't want to let him go.
ANDREW KERR 03:58 I was in a lot of trouble, we couldn't stop it. Di was hanging onto me....
Dl KERR 04:01 When I had a hold of Andrew, I could feel how powerful it was.. and you started to realise, oh god, he's going to kill us, he going to kill him.
REPORTER 04:12 IN ANOTHER TENT, ALICIA SOROHAN WAS SLEEPING WITH HER HUSBAND BILL.
ALICIA SOROHAN 04:15 All of a sudden I heard this terrible scream - and my husband and I looked at each other, what's that, you know, and I ran out of the tent - I'm the fastest runner it must be, am I (laughs), -1 got there first and I just said to Di - where's the baby?..
Dl KERR 04:29 I said no, the baby's ok, it's got Andrew, it's got Andrew - and in that split second she was on the crocodile, and, yeah, I couldn't believe it.
ALICIA 04:41 When I jumped on him - it was terrible - he threw his head back at me and knocked my face, and broke my nose and busted my teeth and that - then I fell down beside him and he grabbed my arm, and I thought - it's not good here I couldn't get away, he had me down sort of thing.
DIANE KERR 04.59 As soon as I saw er face i remember thinking her face is so lit up - and I said to my sister afterwards, it was like seeing an angel, you know, I felt like we were going to be OK
ANDREW KERR 05:14 - Once Alicia jumped on the crocodile, it let me go, that just bought me enough time to get away, you know.
REPORTER 05:23 WHEN DID YOU FEEL YOU MIGHT BE IN A BIT OF TROUBLE?
ALICIA SOROHAN 05:26 - when he had my arm, (laughs). I knew I was in strife, (laughs) I thought I was gone, I really did, I thought that was it really, you know.
JASON SOROHAN 05:36 Straight away I knew something bad was happening..
REPORTER 05:40 ALICIA'S SON JASON WAS NEXT TO COME TO THE RESCUE- ARMED WITH A 9 MILLIMETER HAND GUN.
JASON SOROHAN 05:45: I sort of jumped over and leant on him and put my hands down on top of him here - at that stage, someone had a light coming from the back and I put the handgun into he back of his head and fired two shots - and for some reason I thought that's out, that's it, theres nothing there and he's still wriggling around amd just pulled it again and still had two more shots left.
REPORTER 06:06 SO TWO BULLETS IN HIM AND HE WAS STILL MOVING AROUND ..
JASON SOROHAN yeah still moving yeah..
REPORTER 06:09 SO YOU PUT ANOTHER TWO IN?
JASON SOROHAN 06:10 I fired two more shots and he just stopped like the batteries were dead.
ALICIA SOROHAN 06:14 I thought it's got to be Jason with the gun to save me- and it was him yeah ..
WAS IT A RELIEF TO HEAR THOSE SHOTS? - lt was a relief to hear those shots - it was, it was.
REPORTER 06:27 THE ATTACK HAD LASTED LESS THAN A MINUTE.. BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DEVASTATING. THE CROC HAD SHATTERED ANDREW'S LEG, BROKEN HIS ARM AND CRUSHED THE BONES IN HIS HANDS.. ALICIA'S ARM HAD ALMOST BEEN TORN OFF.
ALICIA SOROHAN 06:41 I was saying my arm - my arm - wandering around looking at my arm -1 couldn't believe what it looked like you know - it was just a piece of meat hanging there.
ANDREW AND ALICIA IN HOSPITAL 06:47 "You've got a visitor... one of my favourite males.. my new mum.. your new mum yes.."
REPORTER 06:53 ANDREW KERR LOST HIS MOTHER WHEN HE WAS SIXTEEN NOW AT 34 HE SAYS HE'S FOUND SOMEONE JUST AS SPECIAL.
ANDREW AND ALICIA IN HOSPITAL 07:01 There'll always be a special bond now between me and Alicia ..
ALICIA SOROHAN 07:04 NOW APPARENTLY STEVE IRWIN'S A LITTLE WORRIED, THAT HE MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE COMPETITION? - bit of competition you think, (laughs), I think he's pretty safe, I do like the guy.
ALICIA SOROHAN 07:24 "YOU KNOW MOST PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA CONSIDER WHAT YOU DID TO BE ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY? - not really, not extraordinary.
AND THEY ALSO BELIEVE YOU'RE A HERO? - no, hero.
BILL SOROHAN 07:38 IS SHE A HERO? - she reckons she's not, but I think she is ..she's my hero that's for sure. MUSIC ENDS
ANDREW KERR 01:16 Once it had my leg, I thought I was going to die - I thought this is it.
REPORTER 01:23 IT'S THE STUFF OF HORROR MOVIES.. A FAMILY CAMPING HOLIDAY ON A REMOTE BEACH.. A FOUR POINT TWO METRE MONSTER.. AND THE MOST UNLIKELY OF HEROES.
ALICIA SOROHAN 01:33 Every time somebody sees you they call you 'the croc lady' or something like that you know - yeah that's me.
REPORTER 01:40 ALICIA SOROHAN IS THE BRAVE BRISBANE GRANDMOTHER .. WHO JUMPED ON A THREE HUNDRED KILO SALTWATER CROCODILE TO SAVE FAMILY FRIEND ANDREW KERR.
ANDREW KERR 01:50 Just that split second saved my life yeah -
IT'S A PRETTY EXTRAORDINARY THING TO DO? - it is yeah.
REPORTER 01:58 THIS INCREDIBLE TALE OF COURAGE BEGAN ON THE BEACH AT BATHURST BAY.. IT'S WHERE THE SOROHAN FAMILY WERE CAMPING WITH RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. ANDREW KERR .. HIS WIFE DIANE .. AND THEIR THREE AND A HALF MONTH OLD SON KELLY WERE IN A TENT TWENTY METRES FROM THE WATER IT WAS FOUR IN THE MORNING WHEN THEY WOKE TO THE NIGHTMARE
ANDREW KERR 02:19 We were lying in bed and I could hear a noise outside -I could hear a thud - thud -and another thud..
DIANE KERR 02:26 As soon as it stopped I looked straight ahead and the crocodile's head was pointing in our direction - it was as though it's nose was nearly touching the screen.
ANDREW KERR 02:37 I just sat up and as I sat up it lunged and hit the front of the tent.
Dl KERR 02:45 I had already jumped up to my feet, cause I'd seen the crocodile lunge at Andrew -jumped to my feet, that's when Andrew yelled out, grab the baby, grab the baby - Kelly was lying beside me in a bassinet. A
ANDREW KERR 02:55 I was pushing it off with my hands - and I felt it crunching but didn't feel anything at all. I just felt the mouth and the crunch, (coughs), and it grabbed on my arm up here and pulled me down a little bit and that gave me quite a bit of a fright. And I lunged back a bit and suddenly I thought, hang on, I'm in a lot of trouble here, Kelly's safe, - I'm going to be eaten
Dl KERR 03:27 I could feel Andrew thrashing about beside me - the crocodile was thrashing him about - and he was yelling and I was screaming, Andrew, Andrew, Andrew - and he was still yelling out, grab the baby Di, grab the baby, I can't remember if I yelled out, he's taking you to the water Andrew - he's taking you .. and my immediate reaction was to grab Andrew with my other arm -1 don't know if that did anything but I didn't want to let him go.
ANDREW KERR 03:58 I was in a lot of trouble, we couldn't stop it. Di was hanging onto me....
Dl KERR 04:01 When I had a hold of Andrew, I could feel how powerful it was.. and you started to realise, oh god, he's going to kill us, he going to kill him.
REPORTER 04:12 IN ANOTHER TENT, ALICIA SOROHAN WAS SLEEPING WITH HER HUSBAND BILL.
ALICIA SOROHAN 04:15 All of a sudden I heard this terrible scream - and my husband and I looked at each other, what's that, you know, and I ran out of the tent - I'm the fastest runner it must be, am I (laughs), -1 got there first and I just said to Di - where's the baby?..
Dl KERR 04:29 I said no, the baby's ok, it's got Andrew, it's got Andrew - and in that split second she was on the crocodile, and, yeah, I couldn't believe it.
ALICIA 04:41 When I jumped on him - it was terrible - he threw his head back at me and knocked my face, and broke my nose and busted my teeth and that - then I fell down beside him and he grabbed my arm, and I thought - it's not good here I couldn't get away, he had me down sort of thing.
DIANE KERR 04.59 As soon as I saw er face i remember thinking her face is so lit up - and I said to my sister afterwards, it was like seeing an angel, you know, I felt like we were going to be OK
ANDREW KERR 05:14 - Once Alicia jumped on the crocodile, it let me go, that just bought me enough time to get away, you know.
REPORTER 05:23 WHEN DID YOU FEEL YOU MIGHT BE IN A BIT OF TROUBLE?
ALICIA SOROHAN 05:26 - when he had my arm, (laughs). I knew I was in strife, (laughs) I thought I was gone, I really did, I thought that was it really, you know.
JASON SOROHAN 05:36 Straight away I knew something bad was happening..
REPORTER 05:40 ALICIA'S SON JASON WAS NEXT TO COME TO THE RESCUE- ARMED WITH A 9 MILLIMETER HAND GUN.
JASON SOROHAN 05:45: I sort of jumped over and leant on him and put my hands down on top of him here - at that stage, someone had a light coming from the back and I put the handgun into he back of his head and fired two shots - and for some reason I thought that's out, that's it, theres nothing there and he's still wriggling around amd just pulled it again and still had two more shots left.
REPORTER 06:06 SO TWO BULLETS IN HIM AND HE WAS STILL MOVING AROUND ..
JASON SOROHAN yeah still moving yeah..
REPORTER 06:09 SO YOU PUT ANOTHER TWO IN?
JASON SOROHAN 06:10 I fired two more shots and he just stopped like the batteries were dead.
ALICIA SOROHAN 06:14 I thought it's got to be Jason with the gun to save me- and it was him yeah ..
WAS IT A RELIEF TO HEAR THOSE SHOTS? - lt was a relief to hear those shots - it was, it was.
REPORTER 06:27 THE ATTACK HAD LASTED LESS THAN A MINUTE.. BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DEVASTATING. THE CROC HAD SHATTERED ANDREW'S LEG, BROKEN HIS ARM AND CRUSHED THE BONES IN HIS HANDS.. ALICIA'S ARM HAD ALMOST BEEN TORN OFF.
ALICIA SOROHAN 06:41 I was saying my arm - my arm - wandering around looking at my arm -1 couldn't believe what it looked like you know - it was just a piece of meat hanging there.
ANDREW AND ALICIA IN HOSPITAL 06:47 "You've got a visitor... one of my favourite males.. my new mum.. your new mum yes.."
REPORTER 06:53 ANDREW KERR LOST HIS MOTHER WHEN HE WAS SIXTEEN NOW AT 34 HE SAYS HE'S FOUND SOMEONE JUST AS SPECIAL.
ANDREW AND ALICIA IN HOSPITAL 07:01 There'll always be a special bond now between me and Alicia ..
ALICIA SOROHAN 07:04 NOW APPARENTLY STEVE IRWIN'S A LITTLE WORRIED, THAT HE MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE COMPETITION? - bit of competition you think, (laughs), I think he's pretty safe, I do like the guy.
ALICIA SOROHAN 07:24 "YOU KNOW MOST PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA CONSIDER WHAT YOU DID TO BE ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY? - not really, not extraordinary.
AND THEY ALSO BELIEVE YOU'RE A HERO? - no, hero.
BILL SOROHAN 07:38 IS SHE A HERO? - she reckons she's not, but I think she is ..she's my hero that's for sure. MUSIC ENDS