Peter Gabriel saves the lifeguards who once saved him

In 1983, a lifeguard saved Peter Gabriel's life after he was caught in a powerful riptide while trying to surf off the coast of Vancouver, Canada. Forty-three years later, the former Genesis frontman has returned the favor. The Canadian city's administration had planned a major cut to its lifeguard service, but a former lifeguard, who remembered the incident from the '80s, wrote to the English artist, who then spoke out publicly. Shortly after, the plan to reduce the number of lifeguards on Vancouver's beaches was scrapped.

Peter Gabriel recounted his rescue off a city beach ahead of a stop on his tour with David Bowie in 1983, according to the Canadian Press. In his account, Gabriel recalled being caught in a powerful riptide as he tried to swim back to shore during an outing as a "beginner surfer" on one of Vancouver's beaches. He wrote that, before being dragged further out to sea, he used all his remaining energy to reach one last buoy, to which he clung while waving his orange jacket to attract attention, managing to get the lifeguards' attention. The musician stressed his gratitude toward those who saved him, allowing him to perform that same night at BC Place. During the concert, he publicly thanked the lifeguards for their work.

Former Vancouver lifeguard Andrea Nicholson, who was at Gabriel's concert at the time, explained that the plan to cut the baywatch service prompted her to send an email, which eventually reached Gabriel's personal assistant. The former Genesis frontman replied saying he was "alarmed" by the plan to scale back lifeguard presence on the city's beaches. The Park Board then reversed course, announcing it would keep lifeguards at Spanish Banks West and East, Locarno, Jericho, Kitsilano, Sunset, English Bay, Second Beach and Third Beach.

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