A dramatic pool rescue was caught on camera in Kansas, and the child’s family is now thanking their neighbors for saving their son’s life. Surveillance video shows a 4-year-old boy who has autism jumping into an apartment complex pool. “Xavier was under the water for 3 minutes and 22 seconds,” Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Battalion Chief Rob Fleeup said.
This is why it’s important for kids to learn how to swim.
Neighbor saves 4-year-old child from drowning. See the rescuehttps://t.co/MZpzDxyvZY— Debby Williams 🍻🥂♐ (@dwilliams1210) May 31, 2022
RELATED:14-Year-Old Drowns After Swim Team Put Plastic Cover On Pool While She Was Still In It
A 12-year-old neighbor saw what was going on and quickly ran to get his father, Tom Westerhouse, for help. Westerhouse pulled the boy, Xavier Rigney, out of the water and performed CPR on him until the boy started breathing again.
As I keep saying: EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW CPR! Neighbor saves 4-year-old child from drowning. See the rescuehttps://t.co/nlvcHJ7cYk
— DornCook (@DornCook) May 30, 2022
While being honored during a special ceremony to recognize their heroic action the neighbor said, “definitely when he started to cough up water and everything, I think that was a good sign.” According to Local 10 News, The boy’s mother was inside caring for her 4-month-old baby when she noticed her son was missing.
“He’s my best friend, so I don’t know what I would do without him,” Alexis said as tears fell.
Alexis says she noticed paramedics at the complex and followed them. That’s when she saw Xavier. “I never thought he’d be able to get into the pool,” Alexis explained.
She says she didn’t know what would have happened to her son if Maddox wasn’t out there at that time.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 — Neighbor saves 4-year-old child from drowning. See the rescuehttps://t.co/JRZ7zGQrYW
— L B #ProtectWmnsRights🇺🇦 🌊⚖️ 🐝☯️🗽🦄🦋😺 (@nnoir226) May 30, 2022
RELATED:Teen Model Who Planned To Live In NYC Drowns At A State Park In Missouri
Officials say more than half of child drownings occur within 25 yards of a parent.
The NDPA recommends parents know CPR, have a fence around the pool and make sure kids know how to swim.