I was minutes from dying – then I heard the lifeboat crewman’s voice

Mandy Galloway, a mother of four, found herself clinging to a paddleboard on the Fife coast as she was swept out to sea. Hypothermic and struggling to stay afloat, she felt her life slipping away. Her legs lost sensation as she drifted further from the shore, and the cold intensified, threatening to claim her. Yet, just as she lost hope, a familiar voice broke through the chaos—a lifeboat crew member’s call for help.

On a summer day at Kingsbarns Beach, Mandy and her partner had planned a brief paddleboarding session. “There was no plan to go far,” she recalled. But the wind quickly intensified, pushing her out into the open water. While her partner managed to return to safety and alert others, Mandy was left adrift, battling the elements alone.

“I was really upset and obviously scared,” Mandy said. “I was on my knees on the paddleboard, holding on to the side.” She described her growing despair as the waves grew stronger and her grip weakened. “I couldn’t hear anything but the water, and my legs started to go numb.”

As the situation worsened, Mandy’s mind wandered. “I was talking to my auntie and uncle, who are no longer here,” she explained. “I think that’s what kept my brain going.” She made promises to her children, vowing to create more memories if they could keep her alive. “At that point, I just said, ‘well, if you’re going to let me die here, please let me pass out before I go under,'”

Scott Brown, a crew member on the D-class inshore lifeboat, was among those who responded to the distress calls. “We were searching for her for over 40 minutes,” he said. “She was very pale, very cold, shivering, barely clinging on to the board.” The crew eventually located Mandy nearly two miles from where she last appeared, a distance that underscored the severity of the situation.

Upon finding her, the crew’s relief was immediate, though concerns lingered. “We didn’t know if she was attached to the board or unconscious,” Scott added. “The paddleboard was blue and white, which didn’t help when the sea was also blue and white.” Mandy’s attire—just a swimsuit, T-shirt, and Crocs—was deemed inadequate for the conditions.

After being transferred to the all-weather lifeboat, Mandy received medical attention. John Marston, a lifeboat medical advisor, noted the crew’s anxiety during the return journey. “When we got her into harbour and saw the paramedics there, it was a huge relief for everyone,” he said.

Mandy’s ordeal didn’t fully register until days later. She revealed she withheld the details from her family until after returning from the hospital. “My sons just broke down crying when I told them,” she shared. Now, she urges fellow paddle boarders to prioritize safety. “Obviously don’t go dressed like me,” she advised. “Try and wear a wetsuit and a lifejacket. That’s not appropriate.”