7-Year-Old California Boy Risks His Life to Save Drowning Toddler from the Bottom of a Pool

When a seven-year-old California boy was swimming in his apartment complex pool, he discovered a 3-year-old child’s body at the bottom of the six-foot deep pool. What he did next shocked most people since they didn’t expect a second-grader to respond like that.

Have you ever been in a situation where you had to save someone’s life? Many adults must have been in such circumstances and have helped people after knowing they were in trouble. However, it’s not common for children to find themselves in such settings.

In a strange turn of events, the boy in today’s story saw a younger child floating at the bottom of the pool and immediately knew he had to save his life. Without thinking twice, the little boy did something unexpected that attracted media outlets to cover his story.

A DAY IN THE POOL

Massiah Browne, a seven-year-old boy who lived with his mom and brother in their Sacramento, California, apartment complex, was having fun in the pool with his relatives when something strange caught his attention.

Massiah said he saw an unknown boy at the bottom of the pool, six feet deep inside the pool water, whose eyes and mouth were open. Confused, Massiah told his nine-year-old relative, Savannah, about the boy before diving into the pool to save him.

To save the little boy, Massiah grabbed him by his arms and pulled him towards the water’s surface by swimming to the top. From there, Savannah pulled the three-year-old boy to the side of the pool, where he caught other people’s attention. Massiah recalled:

“Savannah brought him to his mom, and then they did CPR on the boy, and then they called the doctor.”

THE DISTRESSED TODDLER

Meanwhile, relatives told Massiah’s mother, Tiara Delvalle, about her son saving a toddler in the pool. She rushed from her apartment to the poolside to see her son and the boy he had rescued.

After the people called 911, a team of first responders from the Sacramento Fire Department arrived at the apartment complex, where they saw people performing CPR on the 3-year-old kid. The officials confirmed the child was breathing when they first saw him and was transported to a nearby hospital in “critical condition.”

“I’m very grateful that he was so brave to do something so heroic,” Delvalle said. She felt proud of her boy for rescuing a toddler on his own.

THE LIFE-SAVING SKILL

Delvalle was in contact with the boy’s mother, who Massiah discovered at the bottom of the pool. She had told the news that the toddler was doing well and said it was nothing less than a “miracle.”

Massiah had learned how to swim when he was a toddler. His skill helped him save another toddler’s life, which made his father, Marcus Browne, feel proud of him. Marcus was an Olympic boxer who competed in 2012 while representing the United States. He said:

“It’s just crazy that he’s seven years old doing things like that.”

THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH

Although Marcus knew Massiah swam like a “fish,” he still felt shocked after finding out his son had saved another child’s life. During an interview, he said Massiah was a “good kid.”

Massiah and Savannah’s aunt, who was also present near the pool, said the toddler “wasn’t coming up” and that he was lying face down in the water and didn’t move. She witnessed how the children helped save the kid’s life.

According to statistics, drowning is the primary cause of death for children aged up to 4 years old in the United States. For older children up to 14, drowning is the second most common reason for fatalities.

TIPS FOR PARENTS

Since drowning is why so many parents lose their children, they should take necessary precautions while sending their children near pools and bathtubs.

The first tip for parents is never to let their kids go in a swimming pool or a bathtub without adult supervision. Kids should always have an adult with them because accidents can occur at any time. The child might slip into the pool or bathtub, which might cause things to take a different turn.

Secondly, parents can install a fence around their pool to isolate it from the rest of their house. In this way, their toddlers won’t be able to access it, which decreases the chance of accidents. To stay safe, adults should ensure buckets and bathtubs are always empty so their children do not accidentally fall into them when they are full.

Do you have any advice for parents? How can they keep their children safe from such accidents? Do you think it is essential for children to learn to swim at a young age as Massiah did?

Today’s story teaches us that sometimes children can be selfless heroes that adults can learn from. When no one expected little Massiah to perform such a brave act, he surprised everyone by bringing the boy out of danger.

Click here to read another story about a selfless boy who asked his mother to stop the car so he could help an elderly lady climb the stairs.

Anomama