World’s longest-serving lifeguard, 74, reveals how he met the love of his life on the job
The world’s longest-serving lifeguard has revealed how he met his soulmate – and wife of 49 years – on the job.
Chris Lewis, from Bournemouth, started working for the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) at the age of 16.
And after 58 years, he has not only won a Guinness World Record for his efforts, but also a lasting marriage.
On Tuesday, the 74-year-old told Good Morning Britain that a chance meeting at work was love at first sight for him.
‘I studied at the teacher training college for three years Birmingham and came back to the local swimming pool,” he told the presenters.
Chris met his wife Elaine, a volunteer lifeguard, while working and it was love at first sight
“And when I came out of the locker room, Elaine was on the other side.”
Elaine – who is also a volunteer lifeguard – added that the couple celebrated their anniversary last week.
When Richard Madeley questioned Chris about what he could achieve at his age, the lifeguard admitted that he could impressively swim 80 feet underwater and 80 feet on the surface in under 50 seconds.
Chris also said he can run 250 meters on the beach in under 40 seconds, but added that this is difficult due to a previous rugby injury.
He can also swim 400 meters in as much as six minutes and 45 seconds – a requirement for the job.
“I enjoy lifeguarding, I enjoy being on the beach, it’s fun to have it, but the most important thing is actually doing it,” he noted.
‘For me it was a case of not being well when I stopped teaching and that kept me fit.’
However, Chris added that some people ‘don’t think’ when they go to the beach, telling how he once saw a man in an inflatable boat with a two-litre bottle of cider in his hand.
The couple celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary last Friday. Above: The couple on their wedding day
“The sea… it’s a strange environment,” he said. “You think, ‘What’s going on?’ People just don’t think, they go to the beach and have fun.
“Our goal is for people to come to the beach and go home alive, having had a good time.”
When asked about his most memorable rescue, the veteran lifeguard recalled saving three children at once, but admitted it would be “very difficult to know” how many people he helped in total.
‘We had a south-easterly wind in Bournemouth. One day I was doing my job really well, talking to the public and the beach hut and (telling them) to stay far away from the groynes and this was before we used red and yellow flags,” he said.
‘I’m about 200 meters away and I see a group of children who seem to be getting closer.
“So I went there and caught up with the mother who was (also) trying to get there.
“Just as I got there, a wave picked up this 16-year-old girl and hit her in the face against the end of the wooden groyne, with blood pouring from her nose.
“(Her) brother, who was panicking at the time, was holding the crib and had small cuts all over.
“And there was another brother floating around and panicking, and I saved three at a time.
“When I walked onto the beach, the whole beach stood up and applauded, that’s why it sticks.”