Heartbreaking final words of mother who drowned as she desperately tried to save her 10-year-old son caught in a deadly rip

A heroic mother who drowned after she raced into a dangerous rip to save her son told him 'don't let go of me' moments before her tragic death.  

Leonie Jackson drowned after she dove into the water at Congo Beach, on the New South Wales' south coast, to rescue her ten-year-old son during a trip for her 50th birthday.  

Tributes have since poured in for the mother-of-two who was the first deaf person to become the CEO of the Deaf Society and who spent years working for charities that focused on hearing impairments.  

Ms Jackson's young sister Clarie Gibbs, said Leonie was 'my hero, big sister and one of the best human beings'. 

Leonie Jackson, 50, (pictured, left) drowned after she dove into the water at Congo Beach, on New South Wales' South Coast to save her ten-year-old son

'Leonie would always keep a promise and the last words she spoke were 'don't let go of me'.

'Leonie, I promise you we won't,' Ms Gibbs told the Gold Coast Bulletin. 

Family and friends of Leonie have promised to 'not let go' of her two beautiful young boys and continue her mission to fight for inclusion and access for all.  

Ms Gibbs said that while some heroes wear capes, it was her sister's creative, kind and self-less nature that made her a hero to the very end. 

Miami High School Principal Sue Dalton, said she 'hit the jackpot' when she began working with Leonie, as she truly understood what inclusion meant for students with disabilities. 

Tributes have since poured in for Ms Jackson who is being remembered as a pioneer for the deaf community

'She genuinely instilled belief in these children that they too could break down barriers and believe that anything was possible if you work hard for it and get back up every time you get knocked down,' Ms Dalton said. 

The principal said Leonie gave deaf students and their families hope in her fight to give children equal access inside and outside the classroom. 

The mother's legacy will be remembered by her family as they set up a memorial in the hallway of Miami High School for Leonie's family, friends and beloved deaf community.  

Almost two weeks ago, a surfer spotted Ms Jackson and her son struggling in the water and ran to help them.

Witnesses pulled the pair onto the shore and started CPR until paramedics arrived. Her son was not injured but Ms Jackson was unable to be saved.  

Ms Jackson's efforts to save her son at Congo Beach on the New South Wales south coast have been described as 'heroic' by family and friends 

The mother had worked as the Executive Manager, Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships for the Deaf Society since being named the CEO in 2015.

Friend and former colleague Tony Abrahams, Ai-Media Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, told the Daily Telegraph Ms Jackson 'was one of my very closest friends'.

'Her heroic sacrifice - diving into a rip to save her son just one day after celebrating her 50th birthday - is a tragedy beyond words and speaks to the character of a woman and a leader whose life was lived in service to others.  

CEO of Deaf Services and the Deaf Society, Brett Casey, said the news of her death had devastated the deaf community. 

'This has come as a shock to the whole community. To many of us, myself included, Leonie was far more than a colleague, her passing is an incredible loss to our organisation, the Deaf community, and the Australian disability sector at large,' he said.

Tributes have since poured in for the mother-of-two who was the first deaf person to become the CEO of the Deaf Society and spent years working for charities that focused on hearing impairments

'Australia's Deaf community would look very different today if not for the passionate work of Leonie Jackson. Deaf Services and the Deaf Society will not be the same without her, and neither will many of our lives, or those of the community we serve. 

'Leonie was a true leader, a community engager, and a fantastic mother of two amazing boys. Her advocacy and work in the deafness sector in NSW and Australia have impacted millions of Australians,' CEO of Hear for You David Brady wrote.

Ms Jackson is the third person in NSW to die while trying to rescue another from a rip this year.