Summer Pool Safety And C P R

We have a warning for parents on the first day of summer. A Green Country family wants other families to avoid a summer-time accident that changed their lives. <br/><br/>The family tells News on 6 reporter

Wednesday, June 21st 2006, 10:42 am

By: News On 6

We have a warning for parents on the first day of summer. A Green Country family wants other families to avoid a summer-time accident that changed their lives.

The family tells News on 6 reporter Ashli Sims their two-year-old son was playing by a pool, when tragedy struck.

The Himayas say it started out as the perfect Spring break vacation. Meredith Himaya: â€œyeah, it was really great our kids were playing great together and we were able to get caught up with some friends so it was really great."

The couple had left the kids with two nannies and was having lunch, when they got a terrifying phone call. The Himaya's youngest son, 2 year old Ben, had fallen into the swimming pool. One of the other children found Ben floating on top of the pool and got him out. Little Ben was purple. His eyes were wide open, and he was bleeding from his nose and mouth. Alex Himaya: "Praise the Lord she knew CPR and that moment it saved his life the fact that she knew CPR."

Ben was taken by helicopter to a Pensacola, Florida children's hospital. His parents had to follow behind, a two hour drive, with deputies telling them most of the way it didn't look good. â€œAnd you do have that thought that goes through your head of even if he makes it out of this. We don't know if we'll take our Ben home with us. We don't know who we might take home.â€ Meredith Himaya says for 14 hours her son was lifeless and non-responsive. â€œHe had risen straight up in the bed and pulled all of the tubes and arms out of his face and said all done.â€

Alex Himaya: â€œAnd I'll tell you to hear that really was such a tremendous relief and an answer to prayers because my baby was back."

Three months later, 2 year old Benjamin Himaya is just as active and curious as ever. His parents call him fearless, adventurous, and a walking miracle. They say CPR brought their son back from the brink of death and now they're encouraging other parents to learn the life-saving skill. Meredith Himaya: â€œbecause it could save your baby it could save your neighbors baby it could save your spouse you can use it anytime and really itâ€™s a matter of life and death.â€

The Himaya's are hosting a CPR demonstration at the Church at Battle Creek, Monday at 6 PM.