7-year-old spotted his 5-year-old sister motionless at the bottom of public pool—his quick thinking saved her life

When we spot an emergency or some danger, how we respond to it in that minute makes a significant difference. There might not be much we can do, especially if the situation is out of our control or far greater and more severe than our ability to intervene. However, given the fragility of the moment, even a little can go a long way. Similarly, Riley Drummond was only 7 years old when he spotted his 5-year-old sister, Ella, at the deep end of a swimming pool, per The New Zealand Herald. Despite his age, he understood how every second mattered and wasted no time in acting quickly to save his sister. 

The duo were in the swimming pool at a complex and Riley noticed his sister lying motionless at the bottom of the pool. He spared no time and swam down, grabbed her foot and pulled her up as best as he could. He managed to get her to the surface and carried her out. "I came out of the changing room after getting dressed and walked around the corner to see Riley coming out of the pool holding Ella flopped in his arms, yelling to Dad for help," said Mel Drummond, the duo's mom. Recalling what caused the frightening situation, the mom said that Riley went into the pool to say goodbye to his friend while the parents were getting changed.

Due to some confusion, Ella was left unsupervised and followed her brother into the pool. "Riley had made a friend and asked if he could say goodbye to him. We think Ella just followed him in. Pete presumed I had her and I presumed Pete had her," Mel noted. They spotted their baby girl "lifeless and blue," and it was a nightmare to even think about what would follow. "I just stood there and screamed. Pete started doing CPR, and my screaming alerted everyone in the pool area that something was wrong,” the mom remarked. A few off-duty nurses and others came onto the scene to help.

"She vomited a whole lot of water but still hadn't started breathing. Another round of CPR, more vomiting and then she started screaming. It was very, very close," Mel said. Ella was airlifted to the hospital and despite having had four surgeries in the past, she paved through the drowning attack and recovered well. The ASB Bank (@asbbank) honored the 7-year-old with the Super Saver Bravery Award by St John Paramedic Tony Cronin and ASB school account manager Anna O'Hagen. The organization also shared an Instagram post featuring the boy with his award. If it were not for his excellent observation, as well as quick, brave and smart action, the family would have lost their 5-year-old.

"Our little man is an absolute hero. He's saved his sister's life; we couldn't be prouder of him," the dad, Pete Drummond, noted. Safekids Aotearoa shared a post on Facebook, congratulating Riley. The St John Head of Community Education, Jacci Tatnell, said that the 7-year-old was an inspiring example that even young children can do something if they spot such situations. "Riley's lifesaving actions affirm the importance of teaching basic first aid to every child in New Zealand. We know that equipping children with the skills and confidence to take action in an emergency will save lives and build stronger, more resilient communities.”