'You saved your brother's life': Boy rescues 2-year-old sibling from drowning in family pool
A child from South Carolina would have drowned over the Fourth of July holiday if it hadn’t been for his older brother’s quick thinking.
Atticus Whitlock was swimming at his grandparent’s house when he witnessed his 2-year-old brother Anson slip and fall into the water.
“I saw something on top of the water, and I had my goggles on. I didn’t know what it was so I went under, and it was him, Anson,” Atticus told local news outlet Fox Carolina.
He found his brother at the bottom of the pool and quickly pulled him up.
The boys' mom, Savannah Whitlock, took her eyes off the pool for a few seconds and didn’t witness Anson fall into the pool, who she thought had left the pool area.
“I was here. My dad was here. My husband was here, and he just slipped. Thankfully, God was watching out and gave Anson a superhero for a big brother,” Whitlock said.
When she turned around, she saw Atticus above the surface with Anson in her arms.
“Atticus came up with him. I jumped in the pool and swam to meet them. I literally just hugged both of them and I told Atticus, ‘I am so proud of you,’” Whitlock said.
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Out of an abundance of caution, Whitlock decided to have Anson checked out by a doctor since he passed out as soon as they got him out of the water, even though he was alert and breathing just moments earlier.
“They checked him over. He was very pale. He was completely white. They went ahead and took him to Greenville Memorial and there was a whole trauma team waiting on him,” Whitlock said.
When the doctor finally checked Anson out, it was a good report: no water in Anson's lungs.
“Turns out he remembered to hold his breath and didn’t inhale any water,” Whitlock said.
Atticus saving his brother is nothing short of miraculous, Whitlock is convinced.
“The ambulance driver and the fire department asked to speak with Atticus, and they took him aside and told him, ‘You saved your brother’s life. That was amazing that you did that,’” said Whitlock.