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Mom Saves Son From Drowning Using CPR

This Quick-Thinking Mom Saved Her Drowning Toddler in the Nick of Time — Thanks to CPR

Tanah Zuniga was hanging out with her sister Karly James in her Fort Worth, TX, home when the pair noticed Karly's 2-year-old son walking through the back door: he and Tanah's 17-month-old son, Elijah, had gotten out of the house and now Elijah was drowning in their above-ground pool.

Tanah immediately sprung into action and pulled Elijah — who had been floating in the water for five minutes — out of the pool and started performing CPR on him. Thankfully, the toddler eventually regained consciousness, but Tanah and Karly were still shaken to the core.

"My heart just dropped. When I saw him I literally thought 'that's a baby doll, that can't be my son,'" said Tanah, adding that: "A part of me knew he was gone. His lips were blue, his face was white."

Fortunately, doctors have said Elijah doesn't show any signs of long-term brain damage and is making a speedy recovery.

According to Jim Spiers, a swim safety expert, parents can prevent drowning from happening by investing in an alarm system for their house's door or a pool alarm that will alert them with a loud beeping noise if their kids fall in. He also recommends installing fences around pool areas as well as stairs with a lockable gate.

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