A 10-year-old boy in Houston is being hailed as a hometown hero after he sprung into action and saved a little 5-year-old girl from drowning in a swimming pool.
Rickie August Jr. moved fast on Sunday after he saw a lifeless girl lying in the bottom of an apartment complex pool, KHOU reports. August was swimming at the Retreat at Cypress Station Apartments’ pool when he saw little Egypt Bradly unconscious at the bottom.
“I just acted. I didn’t think about nothing,” August, who prefers to be called ‘Junior’, said. “She was not breathing at all. She was like passed out. I was very scared, and it was just super sad.”
With Bradly appearing lifeless, Junior acted quickly and started swimming up for air and then swimming back down to get to the girl, Click 2 Houston reports.
“When I saw her not moving at all, I knew there was something wrong,” Junior said. “I knew that she was not just trying to float, so I just had to go down there and get her.”
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Bradly’s family quickly began CPR on her. Too afraid to watch the outcome, Junior turned away. But shortly after, an EMT came to tell the boy that he helped to save Bradly’s life.
On Wednesday, the Bradly family attended a party Junior’s family threw for him to celebrate his heroic act.
“I love you,” Egypt’s mom, Diamond Paulhill, told Junior when she met him. “I was so scared. My baby was not breathing. She wasn’t doing nothing. Not moving.”
Junior’s family praised the little boy for being brave enough to help save a life.
“And also inspired,” said Tonya Taylor, Junior’s aunt. “It doesn’t matter your size or your age… you can make a difference. You can save a life. You can change the world. The whole family is extremely proud of him.”
Junior says he feels like a hero because he is one.
“I felt like I was a real hero,” he said.