Harries: The lifeguard from Bondi Beach

10/09/2025 | By Donna Taylor More

A Story That Celebrates How What Makes Us Different Can Also Be Our Strength

Anthony Carroll, who goes by the nickname “Harries,” has made a name for himself and even become a celebrity for his talent and skills as a lifeguard. In his new picture book, he tells the story of how, as a child, he was bullied and made fun of for not being able to read or write. He is dyslexic.

Harries is a lifeguard on the world-famous Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia and has been a series regular on Bondi Rescue, an unscripted TV series, since its beginning 19 years ago. He has been a lifeguard for nearly 30 years and has rescued an estimated 6,000 people in that time, many of those rescues documented in Bondi Rescue.

Behind his popularity as an adult celebrity, is a child that felt out-of-place and left out because he struggled with reading and writing. Harries wasn’t able to write his own name until he was in third grade. He was discouraged when people told him he had a disability. While he struggled with school, he found that he had natural talents that he could explore. He became a fast swimmer and record-holding surfer. As an adult, when he began lifeguarding, he found that his spatial awareness and quick reflexes helped him to save lives every day. After decades lifeguarding, he has honed those talents so that he can tell if a weather change will create dangerous conditions or where a cry for help is coming from.

“Everyone has something special to offer this world,” Harries says. “Sometimes we need to search a little deeper to find whatever that gift might be.”

Harries wanted to write a picture book for kids who are struggling the way he struggled as a child. With the help of his wife Emily, who cowrote the book as he still struggles with writing, Harries’ mission is to demonstrate the power of staying positive and looking forward to find your special place in the world. He also wants to encourage kids to be accepting of others and to appreciate the differences in other people while embracing their own unique talents.

In his inspiring story, Harries wants to make clear that he sees his dyslexia as an asset in saving lives. What made it hard for him to learn to read and write are skills that help him be the best lifeguard he can be.