Diver Was Inspired to Become Firefighter After Being Lost at Sea

NEED TO KNOW

A 30-year-old commercial diver was lost at sea, prompting him to become a firefighter

Six years later, the dad is on the cover of a popular Australian calendar

“I love my job. I've really found my calling,” the firefighter said

A 30-year-old commercial diver was 250 nautical miles off the Australian coast when his dory flipped over, leaving him and his colleague lost at sea for 18 hours. The near-death experience prompted him to become a firefighter — a longtime childhood dream.

“I love my job. I've really found my calling,” firefighter James Morris, who is on the cover of the 2026 edition of the Australian Firefighters Calendar, tells PEOPLE. “I've helped a lot of people out of [treacherous] situations. You can see the fear and the gratitude once you save them."

Morris,