Teen honored for saving 5-year-old from drowning in condo pool
A 19-year-old lifeguard is being commended for her quick action in saving a 5-year-old boy who sunk to the bottom of a pool at Massachusetts condominium.
Alison Mammola was working as a lifeguard at the Bellows Farms condominium on Sunday, June 23, when a 5-year-old boy lost his flotation devices and sunk to the bottom of the 9-foot end of the pool.
"I pulled him from the bottom, and then I ran to the side, and his mom helped me get him out," Mammola said. "I got out right away, and I started CPR on him."
While the boy's mom called 911, Mammola performed two rounds of CPR until the boy started to breathe again, a lifesaving activity that took just seconds when seconds mattered most.
"He had purple lips. He had no pulse as well," Mammola said. "It's something I hope no one ever has to see. I'm just glad that he was OK."
"I just want to congratulate you on what you did," Acton police Chief Jim Cogan said. "You were in the right place at the right time, and you knew what to do. You're a hero."
The incident serves as a warning for all this summer.
"Always make sure you're vigilant around the pool because that can save a life," Mammola said.
Drowning is fast and silent. It can happen in just 20 to 60 seconds.
