Grandma's CPR revives drowning toddler

WILBRAHAM, Mass. (WWLP) - One Wilbraham family very nearly lost a toddler who fell in the pool, nearly drowned, and had to be revived.

It was a birthday pool party this family will never forget. Lianne Azevedo had 25 or 30 guests at her Bittersweet Lane home in Wilbraham Wednesday afternoon, when the joy turned to terror.

Azevedo told 22News she couldn't believe what she saw when her 12 year old daughter Sophia came up to her in the back yard. "And I turned, and she was holding my grand-baby. Limp and blue."

Certified in first aid, Lianne knew what to do almost instinctively.

"I put him on the ground, and I began CPR. And then he began to gurgle. And when he finally began to gurgle, I rolled him over, tried to get the water out of his lungs," Azevedo said.

This rescue was a family effort. Lianne's 12 year old daughter Sophia spotted the baby in the water after she was alerted by her 10 year old niece, Annie, who has Downs Syndrome.

Sophia Acevedo told 22News, "I jumped in and I grabbed him. I was just scared. I thought he was gonna die. I really thought he was dead at the time."

Azevedo said this situation serves as a stark reminder to anyone with a swimming pool to keep tabs on the kids, because they act fast. "He had just arrived, and someone was going to get his bathing suit. It was just (snap fingers) like that!"

The EMT's praised Lianne for her fast action that saved the little boy's life. Little Brady Dones was awake and alert when he went to the hospital, and he's expected to be okay.

Azevedo told 22News that any responsible swimming pool owner should know first aid and C-P-R.