Episode 1 Real Lives Reunited

'Extraordinary stories from a shared past.'

There was 12 people on board the aircraft that day.

Six of us made it, six of us didn't.

'Bonds forged in tragedy...'

I'm really sorry.

'..and triumph.'

The little girl that you helped 15 years ago.

'Brought together by fate...'

It just...overwhelmed me a bit.

'..but separated by time.'

Where did all those years go?

'Decades on, we reunite them.'

They say life can change in the blink of an eye.

But for good fortune in just one moment in time,

things can be so different.

And so it was with this story -

a dramatic sea rescue back in the summer of 1990,

where a little boy's life was saved by the selfless quick thinking

of a group of strangers.

Richard Shortland was just 12 years old

when a family trip to the seaside at Castlerock on the north coast

took a dramatic and potentially disastrous turn for the worst.

He owes his life to the snap decision of three

complete strangers, who put their own lives at risk to rescue him.

He's never had the chance to say thank you,

but now, more than 25 years later, he will.

-Richard?

-Jo.

-Hello.

-How you doing?

-Lovely to meet you.

-You too.

-How are you doing?

-Come on in.

-I'm fine, thank you.

-Oh, this is lovely. Nice and warm.

-Come on in.

-Thank you.

-Take me back, if you will...

-OK.

-..to the summer of 1990.

I was pretty free.

It was a good life. Er...

I always went on wee breaks with my dad -

Giant's Causeway, all around, you know.

-On the 22nd of July, then...

-Yeah.

Take us through that morning. Who was in the car that day?

Well, there was my dad, my stepmum and my full sister, Andrea,

stepsister Sonia, my stepsister, Donna,

my friend, Simon and my sister's friend, Jennifer.

-We were all in the wee bus.

-There was quite a squad!

Quite a squad of us.

I suppose the way they saw it, the more the merrier.

-And the sun was shining?

-The sun... It was a good day.

Pretty much when we arrived, me and my friend disappeared,

explored and went round the beach.

The picnic was all set up, the big blanket was down,

and we all decided to go in for the swim. Ran straight in.

The waves were good.

They were strong waves and we were jumping about, having fun.

But very quickly, the three youngsters were out of their depth

and on the wrong side of the breaking waves.

And then, all of a sudden,

we realised that we were getting a wee bit further out from it

and we turned around and started swimming to get back in.

-And what was going through your mind at that time?

-Panic.

Just adrenaline, panic. It was, er...

I just knew...

Every time I stopped swimming, I looked up and I could see...

getting further away and Sonia, she kept swimming back

and grabbing me and saying, "It's OK, it's OK," you know.

"Keep swimming. Just keep swimming."

It was very scary. It was like going down a slide.

It just pushed you out further and further, very, very quickly.

Sonia - she had...

She had to break free. She broke away.

She had to break away - she had no choice. She broke away and...

On her face, there was a lot of terror, doing that.

You could see her...

Like, her heart breaking when she had to do it. Er...

She said she had to go. And...

..she just let go and that was it.

-Did you just feel defeated at that point?

-Yeah.

I lay on my back, because I was giving up and I was looking up

at the sky, praying to God, and the waves were so far in front.

The beach was getting further and further away.

Sonia and their friend, Simon, made it to the beach -

but time was running out for 12-year-old Richard.

Desperate and alone, his fate hung in the balance.

However, around the coast at Portstewart, help was at hand.

Seamus O'Neill was in his boat, water-skiing with his children

and two friends.

Well, Seamus, hello.

-How are you, Jo?

-Lovely to meet you.

Look at this place. Portstewart - hard to beat.

Yeah, fantastic place to come.

The Mayday call had been issued

and only by chance did the water-skiers happen to hear it.

The boat's radio hadn't been working for two years and they'd only

just got round to fixing it that morning - a move that would

save young Richard's life.

-So you were skiing just over here?

-Yeah, just over there.

And I heard a noise and didn't know what it was.

I realised it was the radio. We stopped and listened to it.

It was the lifeguard and they said that

any vessels in the vicinity of Castlerock,

make their way there because there were some people in distress.

I said, "Guys, we don't know what we're going in for here."

There was proper life jackets in there under the seat

and we put them on us and lucky enough we did,

because whenever we got to the mouth,

the whole situation had changed.

It was darkened down, the waves started to get choppy.

It was very, very rough.

Unsure of what or whom they were looking for,

the men scoured the waves, hoping to find something.

Where you silently anxious about what you might find?

It was a three-man effort, like. We were always hoping all the time.

We were shouting to each other, "Do you see anybody?

"Do you see anybody?" I said, "Look, guys, I'll look in the front.

"Thomas, look you to the left. Barry, look you to the right."

So, by this stage, things are getting pretty treacherous?

Yeah, they were. The waves were very, very, very treacherous

and the waves were very high.

I didn't think anybody would survive.

So in your heart, were hopes fading?

Oh, heart was jumping, jumping out of our skins.

Like, frantically looking for him, thinking,

"Here, this guy must be dead.

"We can't see him. He couldn't get out this far."

And just when they thought all hope was lost,

they spotted something on the horizon.

Well, the first person to see it was Thomas.

He said, "There he is, there, there he is, there,"

and when we looked over, we seen the head of a person, like.

Motionless and floating on top of the water,

the men knew they had only moments to get the young boy onto the boat.

Barry jumped off the side of the boat and jumped out and swam over.

I told him to come back again and I said,

"Here, Thomas, there's a life jacket.

"Jump you out, give Barry a hand and put that onto the lad somehow."

The boys brought him in and I hauled him up into the boat.

Out of the water, but not out of harm, it quickly became clear

that young Richard needed immediate medical attention.

We threw all the clothes we had in the boat on top of him

to get him warm, because he was actually blue.

Like, you hear people saying, "Oh, he was blue." This guy was blue.

He was nearly black. We thought he was very close to death.

This was a young lad, you know. We didn't know...

I didn't know the age he was, like, but I knew

he was younger than my own son that I left off at Portstewart.

And, you know, it was hard to see...

Just to see him lying there, you know?

Then, on the horizon, they spotted a lifeboat approaching.

The lifeboat would never have reached him in time. That lad was...

He was... The waves were just throwing him about the place.

I just can't even, to this day, think how he stayed alive.

Seamus and his fellow boatmen have never seen Richard since that day.

But they will get to meet and when they do, the young boy's father

and stepmother want to be there to say their own special thanks.

25 years on from the dramatic rescue,

Tom and Sandra Shortland are returning from their home in Spain

to meet, for the first time, the men who saved their son's life.

But first, I want to get their perspective

on what happened that day.

Give us a flavour of what was going on on the beach at that time.

We heard a bit of commotion going on and we turned and thought,

"What's happening?" And then we were standing by the edge of the water.

Suddenly we kind of knew that Simon, Richard and Sonia

were the ones that were out in the water.

And, er, eventually, Sonia came,

coming out of the water in hysterics.

And she was crying,

"I've had to leave him there, I've had to leave him there."

And... Ooh, sorry.

It's OK.

Sonia, in her moment of panic, of course -

anybody would be - knew exactly what to do.

Told Richard to get on his back and paddle.

She even gave an example.

And giving that example, she was paddling away from him.

-Ooh, sorry!

-It does, it digs deep!

-I know.

Just talking to her about this the other day just made me realise -

we nearly lost two that day.

It was... It was... It was scary.

A terrible, terrible feeling.

An experience that you would never wish upon anybody.

Unable to swim out to Richard,

all they could do was watch helplessly from the shore.

All I could see on the horizon - a minute figure.

A spot like that, which was Richard's head.

Because the coastguard had binoculars,

he could see clearly what was happening and he was able to

relate to us that he's still alive and he's still floating.

And people were actually on their knees on the sand,

praying for this boy out in the water, you know?

And he just was getting further and further away.

At that time, you thought you were about to lose him?

For one moment, I didn't think he would survive.

Just one statement from Sonia, the daughter, who actually said,

"Get onto your back."

That possibly saved him and gave him that time until the boat came.

At what point, then, did you know that Richard had been saved?

The boat came along and radioed in to say they'd picked up

Richard and, of course, we were elated.

There was an "amen" and "praise God" and all that.

All around us, people were praying and then they were thanking God.

It was a moment of joy. Boy, it was a moment of joy and blessing.

And thankfulness that everybody is safe.

Every one of them was safe.

You know, rushing, getting to the hospital,

making sure he was alive, that he was going to survive this -

that was really what was uppermost in our minds.

And taking him home to his mum in one piece.

It was a life-changing moment.

The people on that boat changed our lives.

I'd like to hug them and say thank you.

A big thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Later in the programme, they get to do just that.

25 years on, Richard and his parents

are reunited with the men who saved his life.

-Hello.

-Hi.

They say a picture paints a thousand words.

Even decades on, a painting or photograph can bring us right back

to a time in our lives, sometimes long forgotten.

To a time that's so far removed from life as it is now

that we hardly recognise ourselves in the image.

That's how a group of university students reacted

when we reunited them with their rebellious selves.

MUSIC: Wild World by Cat Stevens

The year was 1971. Edward Heath was Prime Minister.

Decimalisation had just been introduced.

And internment without trial was about to unleash mayhem

in Northern Ireland.

We'd become a place of protest.

Violence on the streets was ritual.

But in March that year, Belfast city centre would play host to

a protest of a very different kind.

The annual Rag Day takeover by students.

The youthful high jinks, a welcome relief to a Troubles-torn city.

Among the throng that day,

geography student and want-to-be photographer Norman Craig.

I was a young man who wasn't quite sure what he was going to do next.

The fact that I had a camera made me, perhaps,

a bit cool, but I must admit, I didn't think of it in those days.

There were cool dudes there.

I certainly wasn't one of them.

Armed with his camera,

Norman followed the student parade from Queen's University

to Royal Avenue, snapping as he went.

Rag was just something subversive about it, when you're given licence.

The police were standing back. They were seeing us,

but they were allowing terrible things to happen!

-Complete freedom, as you say.

-Complete freedom.

And things were becoming that much tighter in security style.

Maybe that made it all the sweeter.

Black-and-white reminders of a life long since forgotten.

Now respected citizens, like the former Irish President,

Mary McAleese, seen here enjoying a more carefree and colourful day.

That's a fine figure of a young man, I must say.

Belfast city councillor, the PUP's John Kyle,

had no idea the photo of his rebellious past existed.

My hairnet and rollers had come out a bit.

But, yes, that is me.

I cannot deny it.

I modelled myself on Ena Sharples,

so I went for my granny's hairnet and her rollers and her nightie.

There was that element of fun and, er, it was like a circus.

Also caught on camera back then by the rookie photographer,

now-retired consultant psychiatrist Stephen Compton,

one of the ringleaders in the kidnap

of some unsuspecting members of the public.

Kidnap people and hold them to ransom in the hope

that members of the public would have donated into the box

to get their partner or companion back.

Just like the others, 45 years on,

Margaret Byrne is surprised to see herself.

This is the one that I'm in... We're on the float.

Although I was in the parade,

I was observing what was going on around me.

I was just watching and enjoying it.

I was a very innocent young 18-year-old.

It was a day like she'd never seen before

and Norman's photos have brought back all those memories.

We started out nice and clean and by the time we came back,

we were just doused in flour.

There's kind of a joyousness about those photos.

You can see just how happy...

And it's like we got happier the more we got covered in flour,

for some reason.

I think it was almost like a rite of passage, you know,

that we were christened with flour.

A rite of passage for every student throughout the decades,

but it was only by chance that the memories in Norman's photographs

weren't forgotten for ever.

Never actually did print them.

Within a couple of months of taking them, I was off to London,

so they were in the loft for a couple of decades.

-I was eventually told, "If you want those, you'd better take them."

-Wow!

-So...

-And when you looked at those negatives,

what was your initial reaction?

My initial reaction was, "Do you know what?

"You're a better photographer than I thought you were, Norman."

Norman's refound photos now provide a chance for the former students

to look back at themselves with the eyes of hindsight.

There was a darkness over Belfast in those days.

I mean, you know, terrible things were happening,

and you'd be working in casualty, and people would be coming in

having been kneecapped and stuff like that.

So, I think being able to laugh and being able to laugh at yourself

is really important.

Margaret Byrne is now retired after working for 35 years

as a social worker, a job her 18-year-old self would have

been very proud of.

Well, while I liked to have fun, you know, there was definitely

a serious side to me that wanted to do something in the world,

you know, that would be of benefit.

Looking back to his rebellious days,

Stephen Compton is just as philosophical.

I was able, at one point, to have a good time.

And I'm not, you know...

Even though you're old and sensible.

Older and wiser, it's time for the one-time rebellious students

to go back to the place where they caused all that mayhem.

Hey, I know... I thought you were to blame for this. OK.

-How are you doing?

-You haven't changed a bit.

I think... I think I look pretty good there, actually.

-Actually...

-I'm amazed.

-I fancied you myself, actually.

-Yeah, I know.

Joining the party next, Margaret.

Hello. Margaret Byrne.

This is me here.

-Oh, that's you?

-MARGARET LAUGHS

Budding photographer Norman Craig has lived in London

since he graduated.

-All of these people...

-Oh. Oh, my God.

You are John Compton's little brother.

Yes, that's right.

-And I'm the man who took those pictures.

-Ah.

-See...

You're Craig...

-So that's why the name's ringing bells all the time.

-Gosh.

And which one was yours?

-Simon, yeah.

-Yeah...

-I thought I'd clicked in that one.

-Yeah.

-It's his new election poster.

-The picture...

That was me in my...

-How I dressed, as a hippie, in those days.

-Uh-huh.

-All these people are looking at the camera.

-That's good.

Uh-huh. They're aware of it, you see.

Acting to the camera, but I'm just, like, mesmerised.

Look, that's me, there.

Ah, really?

Can you believe, I've never actually seen the prints?

It wasn't until 2006 that I got them out and started putting them

on the web, and I've never actually seen these printed.

Finally, photographer, photos and subject reunited.

Yes. Oh, dear, well,

I'm not sure whether to thank you or not, but...

But, well... But fabulous photographs.

Well, thank you for dressing up and letting me take it.

It's just been really delightful and stimulated even more memories,

and very happy memories, so it's been lovely.

Well, meeting Norman was really interesting.

When he came along and introduced himself,

then it all began to fit together, so that was, erm...

That was quite a surprise.

I've done adult things, you know, I've brought up kids,

all that sort of stuff, but I'm still a boy back there.

I still am.

Time passes, we all move on and change,

but sometimes not as much as we think we have,

and a simple photo can remind us of that.

Richard Shortland owes his life to three complete strangers

who, without a second thought, rescued him from the sea.

Today, for the first time in the quarter of a century since,

he's returning to the place where it all happened -

Castlerock Beach on the north coast.

It feels like I was just...

I want to say thank you to the sea,

in a certain sense, for giving me back.

And I recognise the strength in the element of the sea,

and, as much as I was at its mercy that day, it gave me back.

-Hi.

-Hiya, Jo.

-How are you doing?

-Not too bad.

Nice to see you again.

-Today's the day...

-I know.

..and I can tell you that Seamus and Barry and Thomas...

-Are here?

-..are just over there on the beach to meet you.

-OK.

-So, go for it. Good luck.

All right.

Hi, guys. I've been sitting, trying to think of what to say, and...

Never mind.

Hello there. It's good to see you in this kind of weather.

I suppose you're going to go back out there today...

-HE LAUGHS

-Thank you.

Cheers, man.

-You don't have to say anything.

-No, nothing to talk.

We done something that anybody would have done, not any different.

No, they would not have. That's not true.

If that was me... You've got two lives.

Well, I did. I have a lot to show you.

I have a lot to say in that sense.

Remember me swimming over to you in the water?

-Aye, I can remember one of you jumping out, then.

-It was me.

You said to me when I swam over to you, "I thought I was dead."

-I did. I was ready to go.

-"That's it," you said. Yeah.

The right place, the right time.

Unreal. I'd gave up at that time, cos you...

When I saw... I saw you out of the corner of my eye,

and you jumping in, the fight went back in me.

You were sent like angels - honestly, you were.

And Richard isn't the only one wanting to thank

his angels of the sea.

His dad Tom and stepmum Sandra have waited 25 years for

their moment to finally say thank you.

Hello.

Hi. How are you? Hi, Tom.

-I'm Tom.

-You're Tom? By the way, there's two of us.

Wow, this is a day and a half.

Undoubtedly! This is a lovely day.

-Yeah.

-LAUGHTER

All right. I came and went.

Wow, a lot of emotions are running here.

-You never thought of it?

-Absolutely not. Absolutely not, no.

-Yeah?

-Just, ooh...

I just wanted to show you some of the paper readings

of that time, with it...

Oh, my, look at those bits of paper.

Did you ever see that? Have you seen that?

Now, that's... Oh, no, I didn't see that one.

-Oh, my.

-"I thought my son was going to die."

-And this is you.

-Hey, Seamus, you were a handsome young man.

-Wow! This is you.

-LAUGHTER

What happened to you?

Oh, wow.

You guys must have slept really good that night.

-We did, but actually...

-With a heartfelt...

Not at the time, we didn't think of it. At the time...

But see after, when you think of it, you know,

as you get grandchildren and stuff of your own, as you'd know,

and different things, and, you know, you start to realise it now.

I have to say, you three guys changed our lives,

-because we could have gone in a bad direction.

-Mm-hmm.

We could have lost a son, but it's not just losing the son -

it's your life afterwards, knowing that you took a son out there

-and he died and drowned, and you've got to live with that.

-Yeah.

It's not just pulling the boy out of the water.

You've turned our life around, and I think that was the best thing.

Yeah, and it could've been really, really different.

And I honestly say, I put my hand on my heart, I am so thankful.

Everything pointed that morning to us

-being there and saving him.

-Absolutely.

Especially with the radio that had not worked for two years,

like, let's face it, like.

That a miracle in itself, isn't it?

I just think, and I've got to say, I do believe God was in all that.

-Absolutely, absolutely.

-God was with us there,

if you believe in anything, yes.

So, Richard, what was it like for you to meet these guys?

It...

-It's hard to describe. It was a big moment.

-Wow.

-A big moment for us, as well as being you.

-I'm sure.

It's hard to put words into motion, but...

I want to show you some photos of my family.

You've brought them to life, as well as myself.

I have four sons and they're fit and healthy boys.

From that rescue, you did miracles,

because this is my family here.

My two eldest boys, Jake and Daniel.

Two fine-looking chaps.

-They take after their father.

-LAUGHTER

That's the wee man, two and a half, Lucas.

Richard and his family owe so much to the strangers that went to

his rescue that summer's day...

God, God's miracle...

..and, as a token of his thanks, he's brought a small gift

for each of the men so they never forget what that means.

"..and the roots spring up and make new trees.

"Thank you from Richard, Gail, Jake, Daniel, Troy and Lucas."

-That's fabulous.

-Thank you very much.

-You're welcome.

Well, really, from the bottom of my heart, I really...

I can't thank you enough. I'll never forget your faces.

I won't forget any of your faces. Thank you so much.

Thank you so, so much.

-It's been a really emotional time for us.

-Yeah.

-And for us as well, like.

-Yeah.

I'm reading the paper here, August 1990,

and it says, "Thanks."

-That's it.

-Yeah.

I thought my son was going to die.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Yeah.

It's so bizarre, hearing it from the...

-Thank you for this.

-Thank you.

Thank you. Thanks, guys. OK?

OK, not a problem.

No, you'd do the same for me. Yeah.

-Goodbye, Tommy.

-In the bar, a wee Tommies' get-together, all right?

Yeah.

A big impact.

To see the people and see what we saved,

to see these families...

It created another four kids and, you know, it...

It's brought it back home again that it's...

It's just...

It's just they've overwhelmed me a bit, so...

Coming back here after 26 years is pretty intense.

I'm glad it's happened.

It's a very happy day.

A life that could so easily have been cut short -

a family that would never have been -

and now, after all those years,

they've finally been able to say thank you.