VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) – A family vacation turned from a nightmare into a miracle at a Volusia County beach Thursday, thanks to the quick actions of two young lifeguards.
A 5-year-old boy from Atlanta was pulled from the water unconscious and not breathing at Silver Beach.
Despite calm conditions, the child had slipped underwater and was found by his family, motionless with a head injury.
Because the family was swimming directly in front of a staffed lifeguard tower, help arrived in seconds.
Dempsey Manhart, a 16-year-old lifeguard in only his sixth week on the job, heard the screams for help and sprinted into the water.
He carried the boy to shore, where his partner, 19-year-old Mackenzie Malone, was waiting.
Malone checked for a pulse and found none. The pair immediately began CPR.
“To be quite honest, you know, it was just kind of like … It’s our job and like you know, get right going through, and like you know, this is what we trained for,” Manhart said.
After just two rounds of compressions, the boy coughed up water and began to cry.
Volusia County Beach Safety Deputy Chief A.J. Miller confirmed the child was taken to a hospital where he is was reported in stable condition and being held for observation.
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