Mariam Essop has lost her son to the ocean. Reza Yon (48) was swept out to sea by strong waves and drowned, but not before saving the lives of three teenage boys at Mnandi Beach in Cape Town.

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His body was found in the surf shortly afterwards, but attempts to resuscitate him failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her son's death has left her in indescribable pain, says Mariam, but she believes it was Reza's destiny to be to save three precious lives.

"I find comfort in the fact that Reza saved the lives of not just one, but three children. He's a hero."

Reza went to Mnandi Beach on Sunday morning to swim with his friends, she says.

Arno Constance, deputy commander of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in Strandfontein, said that NSRI members were called at about 4.45pm to help two teenagers who were struggling in the water.

An NSRI boat was dispatched and they found two teens, still clinging on to Reza's surfboard.

"The two teenagers said their friend got out of the water by himself, but the man who assisted them had disappeared from sight." 

One of the boys was treated for hypothermia and shock while the other two returned home without requiring treatment.

Reza's family were only able to lay him to rest in a traditional Muslim funeral three days after his passing because the post-mortem had to be completed first.

Mariam says many people attended the funeral of her son, who she fondly refers to as her "blue-eyed prince".

He'll be remembered as a hero, she says, and his actions have been praised by community members and on social media.

Mariam has appealed to parents not to allow their children to go the beach without the supervision of a responsible adult.  

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