ROCKLAND, Maine — A 9-year-old boy who was found floating unresponsive in a city pond was saved Thursday night thanks to the efforts of two strangers.
The boy was spotted floating by a man who was at Johnson Memorial Park at Chickawaukie Lake, Assistant Rockland Police Chief Chris Young said. The man swam out and brought the boy to shore, where by chance a respiratory therapist was also at the beach.
The medical worker performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the child, who was not breathing. A call was made to Rockland emergency medical services, which responded following the call that came in shortly after 8 p.m.
The life-saving effort by the therapist was successful, and the boy was revived at the lakeside beach. He was taken by ambulance to Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport and then to Maine Medical Center in Portland for observation, but Young said the boy is expected to fully recover.
The boy’s father, who asked not to be named, said his girlfriend was at the beach with his son and a younger sibling. He said his son is a special needs child with the mental ability of an 18-month-old. His girlfriend had put him in the car and was chasing after the younger child and when she returned to the car the 9-year-old was not there. The father said he believes his son ran off the dock and jumped in the water.
Rockland Police Detective Joel Neal confirmed Friday that version, although he said no one saw the boy jump into the water.
The names of the people involved are not yet being released, but Young said the department plans to recognize the man who swam out and brought in the boy and the woman who performed CPR.
The boy’s father said he has yet to meet the people who saved his son.