Page 11 - The Dispatch Febuary 2017

TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT
wail and we knew we were getting him back.” want my boys to understand the importance of looking
out for each other because even though my five-year-old
He and the two women then rolled him onto his side, can swim like a fish, something could still happen, so I
careful to keep him still in case of a head injury. want my boys to remember that day.”

“Once we got him back and started seeing his vital signs But with a greater sense of responsibility, he also stressed
return, the pace at which his body warmed up really the importance of not being too critical of others.
shocked me,” Hoopes said. “It was like he got feverish in
half a second.” “It’s easy to throw spears at someone who lets a four-
year-old get out of sight, but anyone with children knows
Hoopes then expected to see a panicked relative nearby, that can happen in an instant,” he said. “We all need to
but to his surprise that didn’t happen. be more aware, and I just want to share this story with
anyone who will listen. I witnessed a miracle and I won’t
“The odd thing was that no one was standing by crying ever forget it.” -D
‘my baby, my baby’ or anything like that,” he said. CPR IS AS EASY AS
As it turned out, a family reunion had been taking place
next to the pavilion by the pool, and the little boy had
sneaked out to the pool with his young cousin. According C-A-B
to Hoopes, the great grandmother and some other rela-
tives arrived on the scene after the boy had already been
revived.

The boy was airlifted to a hospital in Austin and kept in
intensive care overnight. COMPRESSIONS

He and the ladies integral to saving the boy’s life hugged,
high-fived and thanked each other for the teamwork. Push hard and fast

Mary Alcorn Tanner, the cousin of the child’s great grand-
mother, expressed gratitude to those involved on her on the center of the
Facebook page: “Yesterday was a day that reaffirmed my
belief in miracles and guardian angels sent from God,” victim’s chest
she posted on her page. She added that when her cous-
in finally left her great grandson’s bedside, he was doing
really well. AIRWAY

Hoopes said he knows the events unfolded the way they
did for a reason. Tilt the victims

“The pool was a dark color, a dark plaster,” he said. “A
see them, so the fact that this little girl was the only one head back and lift
person could be down there and you would not even
swimming around with goggles on - the same ones that
hit my feet earlier - you can call that whatever you want, the chin to open the
but I believe it was God.”

For Hoopes, that day left an indelible impression on him. airway

“It’s an experience I’ll never forget” Hoopes said. “It’s
an experience I hope to never repeat,” he quickly added BREATHING
with emphasis. “But it could’ve turned out so differently.
closer together as a family. We are trying to raise our boys Give mouth-to-mouth
And it has really changed our perspective and brought us
to be problem solvers in our country, to be sheep dogs,”
he said referring to the idea that there are three types of rescue breaths
people: sheep, wolves and sheep dogs. Sheep dogs, as
the idea claims, protect the sheep from the wolves.
Because of this problem-solving type of training that he Information provided by the
and his wife hope to impart on his sons, he was grateful
his boys had witnessed the whole thing. American Heart Association

“Even though there were adults around, you can never
assume another adult is watching your child,” he said. “I

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