We just joined the Gym last Saturday. On Wed. I was there with a couple of friends and their 10yr old daughters. (My 4 little ones were in the gym daycare already thank goodness) We were watching the girls, when one of them came over calling us scared with a lifeless little boy face down in her arms. It was in the kiddie beach pool, but the 4ft section of the pool and she was struggling a little bit to get across the pool with him.
Once we realized they were NOT playing, I jumped in (clothes, work out shoes on and all) to help them. I took the little boy from her arms, realized he probably already gone when I saw he was blue with purple lips and vomit and foam coming out of his mouth. It was the scariest thing I've ever seen! This poor baby boy! At this point, we were yelling for someone to get help as I was carrying him to the edge of the pool. NOBODY WAS DOING ANYTHING!!! They all just stood there watching in horror! I got him out of the pool, but was still in the pool standing there myself and began to clear his mouth out so we could listen to see if he was breathing. I was so shaky, but tried to take his pulse. I felt NOTHING, but almost didn't believe it myself. I remember hoping it wasn't true and that the reason I couldn't feel his pulse was because I was shaky, but then I saw his little eyes wide open through his goggles that he still had on his little head. I started to get out of the pool to begin CPR when an off duty swim instructor (who had heard yelling from the locker room) came running up. I told him we needed to start CPR and he began the chest compressions. It seemed like they went on forever. I was so shaken up, I couldn't remember if it was 5, 15 or 30 compressions before a breath! I was a lifeguard in highschool, and my last CPR class was in 2005 when we were applying to be foster parents.
I told the swim instructor he needed to tell me when to breath for him, and I continued to clear his mouth as vomit and white bubbles where coming out so he would be ready. Just before it was time to breath for him, another man (where was everyone else?!) came up and asked if I needed him to do them. I said yes since I was still standing in the pool at the boys side, and he obviously had a better angle than me. After the two breath's...more chest compressions....and I heard someone yell, "Where are his parents??" That's when a man standing above us said very nonchalant - "Well, I'm his dad.....Oh look, he SH** him self. What happened there Mikey?" I couldn't believe how laid back this guy was! He didn't try to comfort him, or jump in the pool to hold his hand or anything! After two more breaths, I noticed a little life come back into his eyes, under those goggles and told the two guys doing CPR. He very slowly was trying so hard to breath again! You could see him trying with all of his might to suck in air in short little breaths as I was saying, "Come on Mikey...Breathe sweetie...It's okay." The swim instructor told him to try to cough, and he tried (although it was nothing close to a Cough....you could see it helped) Then he just look terrified and began to cry a very low moaning cry...poor thing. He was all stiff lying there on his side just moaning/crying as I was comforting him telling him he was going to be okay. We took his goggles off and the swim instructor put his hand under his head so it wasn't directly on the cement. (This swim instructor was SO amazing, and he's probably not any older than 17 or 18!)
The dad still didn't get in the pool. I looked up and didn't see him around anywhere. The ambulance finally showed up and took him away, but the dad never said a word to him - didn't even go in the ambulance. I couldn't believe it. Maybe he was in shock, or drunk, or I don't know WHAT. It turns out that the little boy is fine. I *hear* that he's made a full recovery and only spent one night in the hospital. It turns out that his mom is a personal trainer at the gym. The swim instructor told us the next day that it was all caught on tape and that this poor baby was in the pool *drowning* for SEVEN minutes! SEVEN minutes, and not ONE person noticed?! We were diligently watching my our girls in the pool and didn't see him either! Where was his father? (Mom was as home) There are signs everywhere that say there is no lifeguard on duty, and that you MUST be watching/swimming with your kids at all times. Children 6 & under have to have an adult in the water with them. There are "deck Supervisors" who walk around with whistles, but aren't lifeguards. The did absolutely NOTHING when everything went down. They didn't even clear the pool! (Another parent did eventually) The deck supervisors stood as far away as possible shocked and did nothing. One gym employee ran out with a first aid kit, but that's it.
I sort of half expected someone at the gym to contact me and say something like, "We know you just joined the gym, and we're sorry that whatever the circumstances were, you were put in this position. We have talked with our staff and are making sure to put emergency procedures into place so that if this ever happens again, we will be prepared." NOPE, nothing. The gym manager is always in meetings. I told the ASst. manager I wanted to speak with hiim and gave my phone number, but recieved no call. (that was on Thursday) On Friday evening, I called the corporate office and the lady on the phone was SO rude! She asked what I was calling about and when I said I was one of the people who helped save the little boy and wanted to know that they are going to train the employees to handle emergencies and make sure kids are being supervised by their parents in the future, this is what she said to me: "Well....you're about the 12th person who has called today "claiming" they were the one to rescue the little boy, so everyone seems to think they're a hero right now" This just pissed me off, and I set her straight and told her what my role was. Saving this boy was a TEAM effort between my friends daughter, myself the swim instructor and the other guy!
I thought I was okay, and feeling good we saved this boys life...BUT I'M NOT. I'm so shaken up by this! I cannot get his lifeless face out of my head. I can't stop talking about it. I go to bed thinking about it, it's been the first thing that pops in my mind when I wake up. We went to two "swimming" birthday parties this weekend and I don't think I've EVER had as much anxiety as I did while my kids (who swim pretty well) were swimming! A couple of times I thought I was going to jump in the pool unnecessarily and people would have thought I was crazy! What's wrong with me? The fact that the gym is trying to sweep it all under the rug and pretend it didn't happen is upsetting me even more. I wish they would just validate that yes, this did happen and they're going to learn from it! Instead, the receptionist is telling people a false story of what actually happened when people inquire. Why are they covering it up?
I'm so sorry this is so long! Like I said, I'm a little traumatized. I hope it wasn't too graphic, and EVERYONE can learn from this. I'm sure his dad thought he was a great swimmer, and in a beach pool where he could touch the bottom no less.
I wasn't really sure WHERE to post this either, so sorry if it's in the wrong forum!
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Should I just let it go, or keep trying to talk to the gym manager? It all happened last wed., so about 4 days ago.
And...thank you for listening and letting me get it all out!
Once we realized they were NOT playing, I jumped in (clothes, work out shoes on and all) to help them. I took the little boy from her arms, realized he probably already gone when I saw he was blue with purple lips and vomit and foam coming out of his mouth. It was the scariest thing I've ever seen! This poor baby boy! At this point, we were yelling for someone to get help as I was carrying him to the edge of the pool. NOBODY WAS DOING ANYTHING!!! They all just stood there watching in horror! I got him out of the pool, but was still in the pool standing there myself and began to clear his mouth out so we could listen to see if he was breathing. I was so shaky, but tried to take his pulse. I felt NOTHING, but almost didn't believe it myself. I remember hoping it wasn't true and that the reason I couldn't feel his pulse was because I was shaky, but then I saw his little eyes wide open through his goggles that he still had on his little head. I started to get out of the pool to begin CPR when an off duty swim instructor (who had heard yelling from the locker room) came running up. I told him we needed to start CPR and he began the chest compressions. It seemed like they went on forever. I was so shaken up, I couldn't remember if it was 5, 15 or 30 compressions before a breath! I was a lifeguard in highschool, and my last CPR class was in 2005 when we were applying to be foster parents.
I told the swim instructor he needed to tell me when to breath for him, and I continued to clear his mouth as vomit and white bubbles where coming out so he would be ready. Just before it was time to breath for him, another man (where was everyone else?!) came up and asked if I needed him to do them. I said yes since I was still standing in the pool at the boys side, and he obviously had a better angle than me. After the two breath's...more chest compressions....and I heard someone yell, "Where are his parents??" That's when a man standing above us said very nonchalant - "Well, I'm his dad.....Oh look, he SH** him self. What happened there Mikey?" I couldn't believe how laid back this guy was! He didn't try to comfort him, or jump in the pool to hold his hand or anything! After two more breaths, I noticed a little life come back into his eyes, under those goggles and told the two guys doing CPR. He very slowly was trying so hard to breath again! You could see him trying with all of his might to suck in air in short little breaths as I was saying, "Come on Mikey...Breathe sweetie...It's okay." The swim instructor told him to try to cough, and he tried (although it was nothing close to a Cough....you could see it helped) Then he just look terrified and began to cry a very low moaning cry...poor thing. He was all stiff lying there on his side just moaning/crying as I was comforting him telling him he was going to be okay. We took his goggles off and the swim instructor put his hand under his head so it wasn't directly on the cement. (This swim instructor was SO amazing, and he's probably not any older than 17 or 18!)
The dad still didn't get in the pool. I looked up and didn't see him around anywhere. The ambulance finally showed up and took him away, but the dad never said a word to him - didn't even go in the ambulance. I couldn't believe it. Maybe he was in shock, or drunk, or I don't know WHAT. It turns out that the little boy is fine. I *hear* that he's made a full recovery and only spent one night in the hospital. It turns out that his mom is a personal trainer at the gym. The swim instructor told us the next day that it was all caught on tape and that this poor baby was in the pool *drowning* for SEVEN minutes! SEVEN minutes, and not ONE person noticed?! We were diligently watching my our girls in the pool and didn't see him either! Where was his father? (Mom was as home) There are signs everywhere that say there is no lifeguard on duty, and that you MUST be watching/swimming with your kids at all times. Children 6 & under have to have an adult in the water with them. There are "deck Supervisors" who walk around with whistles, but aren't lifeguards. The did absolutely NOTHING when everything went down. They didn't even clear the pool! (Another parent did eventually) The deck supervisors stood as far away as possible shocked and did nothing. One gym employee ran out with a first aid kit, but that's it.
I sort of half expected someone at the gym to contact me and say something like, "We know you just joined the gym, and we're sorry that whatever the circumstances were, you were put in this position. We have talked with our staff and are making sure to put emergency procedures into place so that if this ever happens again, we will be prepared." NOPE, nothing. The gym manager is always in meetings. I told the ASst. manager I wanted to speak with hiim and gave my phone number, but recieved no call. (that was on Thursday) On Friday evening, I called the corporate office and the lady on the phone was SO rude! She asked what I was calling about and when I said I was one of the people who helped save the little boy and wanted to know that they are going to train the employees to handle emergencies and make sure kids are being supervised by their parents in the future, this is what she said to me: "Well....you're about the 12th person who has called today "claiming" they were the one to rescue the little boy, so everyone seems to think they're a hero right now" This just pissed me off, and I set her straight and told her what my role was. Saving this boy was a TEAM effort between my friends daughter, myself the swim instructor and the other guy!
I thought I was okay, and feeling good we saved this boys life...BUT I'M NOT. I'm so shaken up by this! I cannot get his lifeless face out of my head. I can't stop talking about it. I go to bed thinking about it, it's been the first thing that pops in my mind when I wake up. We went to two "swimming" birthday parties this weekend and I don't think I've EVER had as much anxiety as I did while my kids (who swim pretty well) were swimming! A couple of times I thought I was going to jump in the pool unnecessarily and people would have thought I was crazy! What's wrong with me? The fact that the gym is trying to sweep it all under the rug and pretend it didn't happen is upsetting me even more. I wish they would just validate that yes, this did happen and they're going to learn from it! Instead, the receptionist is telling people a false story of what actually happened when people inquire. Why are they covering it up?
I'm so sorry this is so long! Like I said, I'm a little traumatized. I hope it wasn't too graphic, and EVERYONE can learn from this. I'm sure his dad thought he was a great swimmer, and in a beach pool where he could touch the bottom no less.
I wasn't really sure WHERE to post this either, so sorry if it's in the wrong forum!
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Should I just let it go, or keep trying to talk to the gym manager? It all happened last wed., so about 4 days ago.
And...thank you for listening and letting me get it all out!