When no one else was capable of saving a drowning 34-year-old man, a boy weighing only 80 pounds quickly became the victims hero.
11-year-old Advaik Nandikotkur was hanging out at the pool of his apartment building with his family when the man sank to the bottom of the deep end, his arms outstretched and his eyes wide from eight feet down in the water.
Surprisingly, the youngster was the only one at the pool who was capable of swimming at the time. Before his family had migrated to St. Paul, Minnesota from India three years ago, his father had never had the ability to take swimming lessons and his mother had not been allowed to take lessons because she was a woman.
Luckily, they had insisted on giving Advaik a few swimming lessons in America some survival skills for his own sake, his father told CNN.
When trouble finally struck in the pool, however, Advaiks father had attempted to help the man from a flotation device, but he couldnt reach the mans hand.
Then, at the urging of his mother, Advaik took the plunge.
Despite the man weighing almost 100 pounds heavier than the youngster, Advaik successfully managed to pull him up to the surface and tow him to the edge of the pool. Though Advaiks uncle had never undergone CPR training, he started performing the procedure based on what he had seen in movies and television.
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A few minutes later, the man started to move his hands. Paramedics then arrived on the scene and escorted the man to the hospital where he has since made a full recovery.
The man stopped by the boys house later the very same week to thank him for saving his life and give him some money as a gift.
Advaik, who is very shy in the spotlight, has been reluctant to be the center of attention, but local police officers insist that he is a hero.
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Ive never heard of a boy jumping in and saving an adult from a pool, Eagan, Minnesota Police Officer Aaron Machtemes told CNN. Officers on the scene commented the man was very lucky to be alive.
Its simply superb, added Advaiks uncle. If he had not been there, I dont know. Im sure it would not be a happy ending.
Advaiks father also says that he plans on taking swimming lessons alongside his son in the near future.
