Boy, 8, saved from East Meadow pool scare

EAST MEADOW (WABC) -- On Wednesday afternoon there was a scare at Veterans Park Pool.

At about 7 p.m. an 8-year-old boy for some reason, stopped breathing in the deep end.

His life was on line in the water, and it all happened in a matter of seconds.

"I saw him, and believed that he wasn't breathing," said 17-year-old lifeguard Christina Marie.

Christina was on-duty sitting in the lifeguard stand.

"I brought him to the side as I was trained to do," she adds.

He had no pulse, and was limp.

This is where Christina's training kicked in. Hempstead officials tell Eyewitness News that they put a premium on training  not only training the children now to swim, but teaching lifeguards how to save lives.

"It's a proud moment for me to know that they did what they are trained for, and that of course is to save lives," said Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray.

The second lifeguard to respond on Thursday night, Stephen Foran says he swam the length o the pool to reach the young victim. By then, he was on the side of the pool and was unresponsive with no pulse.

Both Stephen and Christina worked to bring the child back to life. One pumping the boy's chest, the other pumping air into his lungs.

"I have never been so happy to see someone throw up," Christina said, "he's breathing."

The 8-year-old was alive.

"I feel extremely grateful that I was able to revive a child," said Stephen.

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