CONCORD, Mass. (WHDH) — A hot summer Monday afternoon at Walden Pond in Concord turned dangerous when a lifeguard noticed a 7-year-old boy floating lifeless in the water face up.
The lifeguard jumped into the water, dragged the boy on to the shore and immediately started performing CPR.
“After three or four sets they started to have the boy cough. He was coughing up water. We are very lucky the Concord EMS showed up so quick and took the boy to Emerson Hospital,” said the DCR Director of Aquatics, John Dwinell.
DCR officials said the 17-year-old lifeguard did exactly what he was trained to do.
“I couldn’t be prouder. His parents should be very proud and the young child who was having the emergency, I hope his parents are extremely proud of how our lifeguards reacted,” said Dwinell.
Other parents who were there when the rescue happened were happy this boy was saved and are now taking extra precautions for their own children.
“I can imagine the distress and the panic. I wouldn’t want to live that mentally. Like I said, he’s got this one, that’s my safety for Joshua as long as he’s got this [life vest] he’s not going anywhere. He’s not gonna sink,” said a parent, Brian Cerullo.
The young boy was to Emerson Hospital. He will spent the night, but is expected to be okay.