A young boy fell into a freezing pool and was declared medically deceased for three hours.
However, after an intense three-hour resuscitation effort, one-year-old Waylon Saunders miraculously survived.
“They are heroes,” the mother expressed to CBC News.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), drowning incidents rank among the most common fatal accidents globally.
An estimated 236,000 individuals drown each year, with children under four years old disproportionately represented in these statistics.
Thanks to the dedicated hospital staff, one-year-old Waylon Saunders did not become a tragic statistic.
Incident at the Daycare Pool
On January 24th, Waylon accidentally fell into a pool at his daycare in Ontario, as reported by CBC News.
He remained in the water for at least five minutes until he was found by the staff.
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Emergency services arrived to find Waylon cold and unresponsive, rushing him urgently to the hospital.
Despite lacking the resources of a larger children’s hospital, the hospital staff rallied together to save the boy.
As per a statement from the hospital, both lab technicians and nurses dropped everything to revive Waylon.
“When they learned Waylon was en route, everyone sprang into action to help,” the hospital stated.
Boy’s Heart Starts Beating – After Three Hours
For three hours, the medical team worked tirelessly on Waylon’s resuscitation, endeavoring to raise his body temperature throughout.
Once his body temperature reached 28 degrees, hope began to stir among the team.
“It was a substantial group effort to sustain him, ensuring his organs could recover. Subsequently, they woke him, and he surpassed all expectations,” shared pediatrician Janice Tijssen with CBC News.
Following three hours of assisting the circulation of blood to Waylon’s organs, they made an attempt to restart his heart.
And then, much to everyone’s relief, his heart resumed beating.
Mother’s Appreciation for Hospital Staff
On January 6th, Waylon was discharged from the hospital to continue his recovery at home.
Simultaneously, the daycare faced severe backlash for safety deficiencies related to the pool. The daycare’s 50-year-old manager was charged with negligence towards the children.
Waylon’s mother, Gillian Burnett, is profoundly thankful for the swift action and dedication of the hospital team.
“They are heroes,” she reiterated to CBC News. “I will forever cherish them. They have become like an extended family to us; they will always hold a special place in my heart.”
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