Man passing by a property heard frantic cry for help and ran towards it—his response saved kid sinking to pool's bottom
One couldn't possibly imagine passing by a house or a building and ending up becoming a life-saving hero. The New York Post shared the story of Roque Ivan Ocampo who was walking by a property when he heard a cry for help. He immediately rushed to offer assistance. His quick and brave action helped rescue a 6-year-old boy, Oscar, from drowning. Not only that, the man waited by after his heroic act and continued to assist the boy, who didn’t seem to be breathing. Had it not been for his sharp and quick responses consistently, the little boy would have suffered seriously.
According to the World Health Organization, around 300,000 deaths take place every year due to drowning worldwide. Of these, children are at a larger risk of suffering fatal consequences. For children between 1 and 4 years of age, drowning is the fourth leading cause of death. For older kids between the ages of 5 and 14, drowning is the third leading cause of death. Footage shared by NBC News unfolded how the mishap occurred and what crucial help Ocampo rendered. Oscar was accompanied by his older cousin to the property’s swimming pool. There was no one else visible apart from the two of them.
The boy was getting ready to play in the pool, where there was also a floater visible. In a matter of seconds, what was supposed to be a fun and relaxing time turned into a life-threatening one. Oscar was on his raft and slipped into the water. He immediately began showing signs of distress. The cousin accompanying him immediately noticed the 6-year-old and began shouting for help. He reportedly could not swim and couldn’t do anything to help Oscar. As the boy fought to stay above water level, the cousin kept yelling in hopes that someone would arrive.
After a minute or so, Ocampo is seen in the footage, rushing to the scene. He took off his footwear and immediately jumped into the water. “He was at the bottom of the pool. He wasn’t moving at all. I thought he was dead,” Ocampo recalled. He pulled Oscar up and got him out with the help of his cousin. Unfortunately, the 6-year-old was not breathing. Ocampo remained on the scene while the boy’s family and 911 were informed. Before the officers could arrive, this passerby gave Oscar CPR. The officers soon came onto the scene and took control of the situation. He was transported to the hospital and eventually recovered.
Jamie Bodine, a Fort Lauderdale police officer, commended the work of Ocampo and noted how important it was that he arrived when he did. “It takes a lot of bravery to do what he did and I think that Oscar's outcome would have been a lot worse if he [Ocampo] hadn't jumped in the pool, pulled him out and done CPR right away,” she explained. She even mentioned that due to the urgency at the moment, Ocampo didn’t receive the thanks he deserved. The man returned after Oscar recovered to check on him. He gave him a hug and said, “You're very strong and I'm so proud of you.” Looking back on the scenario, he is grateful that he got to save a life and make a difference.