This is the shocking moment a 7-year-old boy was saved from drowning at the bottom of an outdoor pool by two fellow kids as adults swam by completely unaware.
Noah Roche, 12, and his brother Weston Woods, 8, were enjoying a day at an apartment pool in Fenton, Michigan, when they spotted 7-year-old Griffin Emerson in grave danger.
Griffin was splashing around in his inflatable armbands, but decided to take them off and attempt to swim without them.
Unable to keep his head above water, he drifted towards the deep end and slipped below the surface.
In a chilling surveillance video obtained from the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, bystanders remained oblivious as precious seconds ticked away and Griffin sank deeper into the water.
That is until Noah and Weston spotted Griffin’s murky outline in the depths, and without a moment’s hesitation plunged into the water determined to rescue him.
Noah Roche, 12 (centre right), and his brother Weston Woods, 8 (right), were enjoying a day at an apartment pool in Fenton, Michigan , when they spotted 7-year-old Griffin Emerson (right) in grave danger (mother of the two brothers, Sylese Roche, is pictured left)
Adult are seen swimming and floating on loungers while Griffin sinks to the bottom of the pool
Weston is seen pulling Griffin up to the surface before adults cottoned on and helped lift him out of the pool
Witnessing the horrifying scenario play out before her, the rescuers’ mother, Sylese Roche, immediately dialed 911 – all while Griffin’s mother ran over to her boy’s lifeless body and immediately began CPR.
After a few breathless seconds, Griffin coughed and sprung back to consciousness, able to breathe once more.
His mother can be seen gently rubbing his back, helping him expel water from his lungs.
Despite narrowly escaping death, Griffin was rushed straight to hospital and monitored for signs of dry drowning or lung infections after inhaling the pool water.
But within a mere 36 hours, Griffin was released from the hospital having made a remarkable recovery.
‘I was scared I was gonna drown. It felt all weird. I spit out some water, and that’s it,’ a relieved Griffin later told Good Morning America.
‘I saw him, and I just knew that he wasn’t OK,’ Noah said.
‘I saw him at the bottom of the pool, and then I didn’t know if he was just playing down there or something. So I just told Weston to get in and dive down to see if he’s OK.’
Griffin is seen lying at the side of the pool as his mother rushes over to administer CPR
Griffin’s grandmother Michelle expressed her deep gratitude on Facebook, applauding the actions of Noah and Weston and thanking the family for saving her grandson
Tom Kinczkowski, Griffin’s grandfather, conveyed his heartfelt appreciation to the young saviors.
‘Weston and Noah, you know, they hold a special place in my heart. And they basically saved Griffin. A lot of my heroes don’t wear capes. And they are two of them,’ Kinczkowski declared.
And grandmother Michelle expressed her deep gratitude on Facebook, applauding the actions of Noah and Weston and thanking the family for saving her grandson.
‘These 2 boys are amazing,’ she wrote. ‘My grandson Griffin would have drowned if it were not for these 2 boys… I’m so grateful to these little heroes and their mom Sylese Roche for raising 2 amazing little boys.’
Sheriff Christopher R. Swanson of Genesee County commended the young rescuers’ heroic actions, stating: ‘Getting him to breathe on his own that fast, that’s the best possible outcome. And that’s why we celebrate the story.’
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