Twins See Their Dad ‘Turning Blue,’ Use CPR Skills They Learned from Classic 90s Films to Save Him

A man was enjoying a family swim with his children and their friend when things took an unusual turn. One of the kids noticed their father shaking and turning blue and alerted the others. After that, the three youngsters sprang into action.

Children need a solid foundation to grow up into responsible adults. Every kid is different, and so is their learning pattern. Some youngsters learn best by modeling the actions of their elders, while others might emulate the behavior of their favorite character from a book or movie.

Youngsters often look up to their parents and try their best to make them happy and proud. But sometimes, there are instances where these little ones can leave their elders awe-struck, speechless, and grateful. Today’s story encapsulates a similar scenario.

Brad Hassig. | Source: YouTube.com/ABC 33/40

Nothing beats the excitement and fun of hanging out with your family, and many elders look forward to this adventure whenever they get a chance.

According to Karle’s post, Father’s Day 2022 was incredibly memorable for Brad because he received his best gift ever.

On June 14, 2022, Brad Hassig, 46, was having a great time with his twin boys, Christian and Bridon Hassig, both 10, and their neighbor, Sam Ebert, 11, at his Mountain Brook home in Alabama.

Christian and Bridon Hassig. | Source: YouTube.com/ABC 33/40

A SUMMER AFTERNOON WITH FAMILY

It was a typical summer afternoon, and Brad and the youngsters were fully charged to make the most of their day. They were swimming in the backyard pool, with Brad doing underwater breathing exercises to relax. He told TODAY:

“It was a typical afternoon — we had music on the speakers and I was doing breathing exercises underwater to relax. I wasn’t pushing myself or trying to be a Navy Seal.”

But only minutes after submerging himself, Brad passed out. While all he could remember was feeling relaxed and peaceful, his son, Christian, knew something was wrong.

TO THE RESCUE

According to Brad, Christian saw him on his side, shaking and turning blue, and called out for Bridon and Sam. The kids managed to pull Brad up to the steps of the pool.

With their mom at work, Christian ran to get help from the neighbors and succeeded in flagging down a car on the street. Since the kids didn’t have a cell phone, the car’s driver called 911 for them.

In the meantime, Bridon began trying to do CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on his unconscious father, an emergency move where a patent is given mouth-to-mouth and chest compressions.

THE QUICK-THINKING KID

While Bridon had no formal CPR training, he said he had seen mouth-to-mouth being performed in two movies he saw, “Hook” and “The Sandlot.” The young boy noted that he mimicked those moves while resuscitating his dad until the cops and first responders arrived. Bridon recounted:

“I just had a moment when Jesus was sitting right behind us the whole time. There’s no way we should have been able to do that.”

Soon afterward, a neighbor, who was also a cardiologist, ran straight to Brad’s backyard after hearing the police sirens in the neighborhood and helped the boys drag him from the pool steps to the deck.

THE YOUNG SAVIORS

Fortunately, the youngsters’ efforts worked wonders, and Brad opened his eyes, coughing up blood, foam, and water. He said Christian was beside him, pleading, “Daddy, come back. You have to be OK.”

Brad was taken to the hospital, where he spent 24 hours in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. He was diagnosed with hypoxia (low oxygen in the organs and tissue), pulmonary edema (caused by fluid buildup in the lungs), and shortness of breath.

A chiropractor by profession, Brad, stated that he still had difficulty catching his breath and felt fatigued but was getting better each day. Following the incident, he said he walked his dog for the first time and had a follow-up appointment where his EKG and blood pressure were normal.

A PROUD FATHER

Brad expressed he was immensely proud of his sons and their friend and said he would refrain from doing breathing exercises underwater or swimming alone in the future. He added:

“I’m so proud of my boys. I tell them, ‘Remember you guys are heroes’ and I will be grateful to them forever. And Sam is such a kind and gentle kid. It’s a bond now.”

The doting dad revealed that his boys would receive formal CPR training and gave them mobile phones for future emergencies. “It’s a reward but it’s also for peace of mind,” said Brad.

BATTLING THE GUILT

Brad, who is also a father to his little girl, Lauren, and a loving husband to his wife, Lori, shared that he also felt a little guilty for putting the youngsters in a position where they had to save his life. He recollected:

“My boys saved my life and it’s hard because you put them in that position. It’s confirmation that God is always with you.”

Following this shocking incident that had a surprisingly happy ending, Rick Karle from WTVM 13 took to Facebook and shared a special Father’s Day post for Brad. The post, which was shared on June 19, has garnered over 900 reactions and more than 150 comments to date.

THE BEST GIFT EVER

Karle summarized everything Brad experienced when he had a blackout while swimming in the pool with his two boys and their friend. In addition to a heart-touching caption narrating the entire incident, the Facebook post also contained lovely photos of Brad with his wife and sons.

According to Karle’s post, Father’s Day 2022 was incredibly memorable for Brad because he received his best gift ever — the gift of life. A part of the caption read:

“Of course, Brad won’t need any presents today. He received his Father’s Day gift nearly a week ago. That gift is going to be hard to top. For it was Brad Hassig’s greatest gift ever.”

What are your thoughts on this story? Do you think Christian, Bridon, and Ebert deserve to be called “heroes” for their sheer bravery and courage? This story is proof that heroes are all around us, and we should celebrate them and their heroism as much as possible.

Please share this heartwarming story with your family and friends. Click here to read another story about a six-year-old boy who saw a dog charging toward his baby sister and selflessly stood between them.