{"id":409459,"date":"2020-01-03T07:21:43","date_gmt":"2020-01-03T14:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=409459"},"modified":"2020-01-03T14:15:15","modified_gmt":"2020-01-03T21:15:15","slug":"mckeon-family-survive-catastrophic-bushfires-and-appeal-to-all-australians-for-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/mckeon-family-survive-catastrophic-bushfires-and-appeal-to-all-australians-for-help\/","title":{"rendered":"McKeon family survive catastrophic bushfires and appeal to all Australians for help"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australian Olympic swim star Emma McKeon<\/strong> has issued an impassioned plea to help those families who have lost their homes to Australia\u2019s worst ever bushfires after her own family survived the utter devastation first hand from a normally majestic Lake Conjola, on the New South Wales (NSW) South Coast.<\/p>\n

Her Olympian father Ron McKeon<\/strong> and mum Suzie<\/strong>, herself a Commonwealth Games representative, with Olympian brother David McKeon<\/strong> have a house on Lake Conjola and the family were evacuated earlier today – thankful to escape the fire zone that has claimed the life of one man and destroyed over 90 homes.<\/p>\n

In total, over 380 homes have been destroyed in NSW since New Year’s Eve, leaving a total of seven people dead along the NSW South Coast while in Victoria two people have died,\u00a0 some 28 people are unaccounted for, while hundreds more homes have been destroyed and 1000 people are being rescued from Mallacoota in Victoria by a Naval ship.<\/p>\n

McKeon and her family were lucky to survive the horror that has besieged this picturesque town of Lake Conjola, such an idylic hideaway for holiday-makers, fishermen and a mecca for water sports enthiusiasts.<\/p>\n

But this week has seen that natural beauty turned into a catastrophic fire zone that has sent the small coastal community and a country to its knees.<\/p>\n

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The Mckeons (l-r): Ron and offspring Emma and David – Photo Courtesy: Emma McKeon<\/p><\/div>\n

Ron McKeon sent this message to relieved family and friends late today, saying, “We were evacuated and escorted out at around 9am this morning and arrived (back to Wollongong) six-and-a-half hours later\u2026.all safe!\u201d<\/p>\n

And his daughter Emma gives her first hand account of what unfolded and her appeal for all Australians far and wide to dig deep to help those affected..giving thanks to the selfless volunteers.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s most successful Olympic swimmer in Rio with four medals, including gold in the women\u2019s 4x100m freestyle relay, took to Instagram<\/em><\/a> to tell of the horrific week she and her family have witnessed and to appeal to all Australians to dig deep.<\/p>\n

“It is so hard to truly understand the level of devastation and suffering happening right now across the country from these fires,\u201dwrote McKeon, who with brother David, was also in Lake Conjola, are about to start her 2020 Olympic campaign on the Gold Coast.<\/p>\n

\u201cSadly our home town in Lake Conjola was hit very badly, and we were extremely lucky to be safe where we were. But our heart goes to the victims who lost so much, and to the place many call home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so grateful to the relentless work and sacrifice from the firies (sic) most of whom are volunteers, saving thousands of people\u2019s homes and lives, and still continuing.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom being down at Lake Conjola over the last week, you can feel the way the community has come together to support each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone across Australia can come together as a country and support from afar as well by donating to those who have sadly lost their homes and everything in them, and to the fire fighters and volunteers who are risking their lives daily.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can often feel helpless from far away but we can do the best we can by donating to those who have lost so much.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose still in the areas, please be safe, we are thinking of you, and to those fighting these devastating fires, THANK YOU, SO SO MUCH!\u201d<\/p>\n

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IMPACT ASSESSMENT FROM NSW BUSHFIRES – Photo Courtesy: NSW Rural Fire Brigade<\/p><\/div>\n