Coun. Marni Fedeyko expressed a tearful gratitude to the lifeguards, EMS and firefighters who she credits for saving her son Corbyn’s life last weekend.
Fedeyko told council on Feb. 12 that the near-drowning incident that took place at the Jayman BUILT Aquatic Centre located at the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre (SLSFSC) on Feb. 10 was her son.
A lifeguard retrieved the child from the bottom of the pool. He was unconscious for one minute. Fedeyko said it only took around five minutes for an ambulance to arrive and a total of 14 minutes from when her son was pulled out of the water to when the ambulance departed.
“The most heartbreaking thing is that we weren’t with him,” said Fedeyko, adding that her son, who has fully recovered, thought it was pretty awesome that he got to ride in an ambulance.
She and her spouse were not with her son at the time of the incident, as he was at a birthday pool party.
Fedeyko said she is going to thank the lifeguards who were on staff during the incident in person today. She is also reaching out to EMS to express her gratitude.
“The hardest part for me is knowing how many other people are having such a difficult time with this,” she said, with reference to not only the staff who helped her son, but the family friends who held the birthday party who have had a difficult time coping with the incident.
She chose to relay the personal story publicly to counter any misinformation.
She also did not want the public mistakenly thinking this was a case of negligence on the part of those who were there or the pool, chalking up the unfortunate incident as an accident.
With a nod to the quick response by lifeguards and EMS, Fedeyko said the near-tragic event coincides with Random Acts of Kindness Week (RAK).
This year, RAK is celebrated on Feb. 17. The movement seeks to inspire acts of altruism and is celebrated nationwide by individuals, groups and organizations.
“The bigger message is .. it’s about the act of giving,” said Fedeyko, adding that it could be a simple gesture like sending a message to someone going through a difficult time.
“All it takes is something small to make someone feel good.”
Robin Mitchell, general manager of SLSFSC, said the lifeguards on duty performed CPR, and were able to resuscitate the child.
Corbyn was transported via ambulance to the Alberta Children’s Hospital and was released Sunday night.
“The parents are extremely thankful to the quick efforts of the guards, guest services and duty manager staff, as they all pulled together and played a key and vital role in how things transpired,” said Mitchell.
The aquatic centre was closed for the remainder of the weekend to the general public, with the exception of Sunday swim lessons.
The facility debriefed with the immediate staff on duty Saturday night and discussed the incident with all lifeguards and guest services staff during a meeting on Sunday.
“The bottom line – staff did an amazing job and the young boy is safe and healthy,” Mitchell said.
The investigation is ongoing.
