A brave nine-year-old boy has been hailed a hero after he saved the life of a little girl who was drowning in a pool while on holiday.
Young Frank Emsley was enjoying a sunny afternoon at the hotel swimming pool in Tenerife when he noticed the young girl was motionless underwater.
The quick-thinking youngster swam across as he thought she’d been under for longer than he could hold his breath and became concerned for the unnamed child’s wellbeing.
When he finally scooped her out of the water she was “completely blue” and foaming from the mouth.
He described the “terrifying” moments as she gurgled water in a desperate attempt to breathe before he could help her out of the water.
He shouted for her parents who carried her out of the water before a lifeguard performed life-saving CPR on the child.
She was then rushed to hospital and thankfully was unharmed and able to leave the hospital after a short period of observation.
He said he’s thankful he was there or she could have “never returned” from the holiday, and hopes he’ll meet her in the future as he feels like he’s her “guardian angel”.
Frank, from Manchester, said: “I was looking over at her and I thought I couldn’t hold my breath underwater for that long so I became concerned.
“I went over to check on her and she wasn’t moving, there were no bubbles or anything.
“I touched her arm to see if she was alright and she clinged on to me for dear life.
“I picked her up and she was breathing so heavily and was gurgling water out of her mouth.
“It was terrifying, she was completely blue and foaming at the mouth.
“I’m just so happy I was there and managed to act because I don’t want to think about what could have happened if I wasn’t.
“If I wasn’t there she might have never returned from the holiday which is so scary to think of.”
He added: “I’d like to think I could be like her guardian angel, I hope to meet her when she’s older.”
Frank’s mum Sarah Emsley said she “couldn’t be prouder” of her boy, who she said was brave and smart “beyond his years”.
She said they’d booked the holiday to Tenerife at the last minute during the school’s half-term and it was a trip they will be remember for a long time to come.
The little girl had been in a floatie but managed to escape from it for a split second before she began to sink to the bottom of the pool.
The 45-year-old said it’s every parent’s “worst nightmare” but thankfully her little lad Frank was there to save the day.
She said: “We booked a last minute trip to Tenerife during the school holidays – it was meant to be a relaxing six days away.
“When I saw him swimming across I didn’t know what to think, but then he started shouting for her parents and I was shocked.
“Thankfully he was there and managed to get her out, and she was taken to hospital and is doing fine now.
“I couldn’t believe it.
“He saved that little girl’s life and her parents were so grateful – as I would be.
“It’s every parent’s worst nightmare to have your child disappear on you like that.”
Frank received a letter from the family thanking him for his heroics, which was read out at his school.
Sarah said: “They sent him a letter which was read out at school hailing him a hero.
“He’s definitely my little hero, I couldn’t be prouder of him.
“Not many nine year olds would have acted the way he did. He’s always so observant and attentive.”
