There is a man who many people want to thank. Do you know who he is?

There are news stories like yesterdays – days of tragedy and fear. Days of horror and terror which make us want to weep.

And then there are stories like this.

Ones which give you hope in humanity.

Ones which make you smile.

Ones you want to share.

Because this is the story of a search for a hero, a good man who did a good deed and the people who he did it for want to thank him.

And from all of us who have felt a shiver of fear and a heavy heart filled with sorrow this week we want to celebrate this man, we want to thank him too for giving us a reason to feel delight.

The man is just a passerby. He could be anyone out there. He could be from NSW or even a visitor from another state or overseas.

He was at the beach on Wednesday afternoon, perhaps enjoying the last days of his summer holiday, or maybe on the way home from work having a quick arvo dip.

Also at the Dolls Point Beach in NSW was a family with two little girls.

Police say that just before 5.30pm on Wednesday the two little girls went swimming in water near a sailing club.

They were supervised by their family, but things went wrong and the girls began to struggle.

Police have been told a passerby rushed into the water and rescued the youngest girl from the water.

This man that police call a “passerby” (we call a hero) then returned to the water and saved a seven-year-old girl. This little girl, on her school holidays,  had struggled too long and was unconscious.

But she had been rescued by a hero and he provided CPR until the arrival of Ambulance Paramedics, who transported her to Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick.

I told you it was a good story, a happy story and it is – she is now ok – in a serious but stable condition. Police say that she will make a full recovery.

This man though after he did what is possibly the greatest act of his life then left, and no one knows who he is.

Police say they want to locate the good Samaritan to “ascertain his identity in order to recognise his efforts.”

We imagine that they and the girls’ family just want to say thank you.

And you know what, so do we, for giving us a good news story to share.

Whoever you are mystery man – thanks.

Anyone with information about the man’s identity is asked to contact St George Police Station on (02) 8566 7499.