Meet the volunteer: Gareth’s journey from Ceres pools to the open seas

Three years ago, Gareth Seroot was working in Ceres when his manager called a meeting that would change his life.

He had been a lifeguard for several years already, but this meeting introduced him to the NSRI and a team from Station 16 who would take his skills – and his career – to a new level.

“When I saw Rebecca Carter-Smith for the first time, she explained what the NSRI does. I knew how to swim, but she taught me the right way. She and Sam Rorwana inspired me to become a lifeguard at Station 16,” says Gareth.

From those first training sessions at the Ceres and Witzenberg swimming pools, Gareth threw himself into learning, and sharing, lifesaving skills. He would spend his free time teaching children how to prevent drownings, passing on the knowledge he’d just learned.

Training wasn’t always easy. “The hardest part was the timed swimming,” Gareth admits. “Even when I made the time, Sam would sometimes tell me I didn’t and make me swim again. He never gave up on me.”

That persistence paid off. Sam, Lifeguard Training Manager at Station 16, remembers Gareth’s determination clearly:

“He wasn’t the best swimmer at first, but he was very dedicated. When we spoke about training lifeguards who might also apply for cruise line work, Gareth jumped forward straight away.”

In 2024, Sam connected with MSC Cruise Line through Shosholoza Maritime Academy. Gareth’s name was on the shortlist of qualified lifeguards ready for an international opportunity. Over the course of several months, Sam mentored Gareth through the application process, paperwork, and training requirements.

In August, Gareth boarded a plane to Italy to begin work with MSC Cruises – a milestone made even more meaningful after postponing his flight for a week to be with his family following his grandmother’s passing.

“At first, I couldn’t believe it,” Gareth says. “But when they called to book me for training and medicals, it started to feel real. The NSRI gave me the skills to get here, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”

For Gareth, the opportunity means more than just a job. It’s proof of what’s possible when you don’t give up. “What kept me going was my family. I have two kids, and one day I would like to teach them what Sam and Rebecca taught me.”

Looking to the future, Gareth dreams of completing five contracts with MSC, then returning to NSRI to inspire and mentor the next generation of lifeguards — just as Sam, Rebecca, Sarah Sandmann, and Mo Kennedy did for him.

His advice to young people considering NSRI? “Go for it. You never know where you’ll end up. Trust in God, because he can make your dreams a reality. Push harder when things get tough, and never give up.”

From pool decks in Ceres to the decks of a cruise ship halfway across the world, Gareth’s journey is proof of where hard work, mentorship, and a willingness to keep going – even when it’s hard – can lead.