CLEVELAND — Police officers who rescued a 4-year-old boy from the Recreation Park pond in Painesville on Saturday surprised him at home upon his return from the hospital on Tuesday.
As a welcome home surprise, Sgt. Matthew Tycast and officer Daniel Thompson, two of the three officers who helped save the boy’s life, surprised him at home with a gift basket full of toys and police memorabilia.
During their visit, the boy’s parents expressed their gratitude to the officers for their quick action.
Their 4-year-old was staying at a relative's home on East Erie Street while his parents were at work. The relative called 911 when the boy went missing.
Officers received another call about a body in the nearby Recreation Park pond.
"When officers arrived on the scene, the child was not initially visible due to debris on top of the pond. Officer Daniel Thompson and Sergeant Matthew Tycast observed air bubbles and a silhouette of a small person roughly twenty feet off the bank of the pond. A third officer on scene, Officer Chad Balausky, retrieved a throw rope for safety as the other officers entered the water to attempt rescue," police said.
After the child was pulled from the water, Thompson and Tycast administered first aid and performed CPR until members from the Painesville Fire Department arrived.
"The officers continued lifesaving efforts until Sergeant Tycast observed the child was breathing and moved him to the recovery position to expel excess water from his system," police said.
The boy was rushed to the hospital and he made a full recovery from the near-drowning and was released from MetroHealth Medical Center Tuesday.
“The Painesville Police Department would like to thank all those involved and to remind everyone on the importance of speaking with your children about water safety at a young age. The Painesville Police Department couldn’t be more proud of the responding officers and sincerely wish Paolo and his family a safe, happy and healthy summer,” the department said in a statement.
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