An autistic child drowned in a pool and survived at the last minute Israel today

A breathtaking video, of an autistic child jumping into a pool in the state of Kansas and being shaded at the last minute by a neighbor, was circulated online yesterday (Sunday) - and it's hard not to appreciate the miracle of the event.

The video shows 4-year-old Javier Rigni, a non-verbal (non-talking) autistic, running into a man-made pool of water in an apartment complex, jumping into the water - and starting to drown.

At first the child is still struggling with water, but then he stops struggling and seems to lose consciousness.

Then Tom Westhouse, the neighbor, arrives at the place, removes Javier from the water and performs CPR on him for long minutes, until he returns the child to consciousness.

At the tribute ceremony, held after this exciting rescue, Javier's parents said he had somehow managed to climb the pool fence and thus reach the water.

Alexis, the mother, said that "I was taking care of my 4-month-old child when I noticed that Javier was gone. I do not know how he managed to climb the pool fence. I never thought he would be able to do that."

The mother also turned in tears to Tom, who saved her son, saying "I do not know what I would have done without him. He is my best friend."

The main protagonist of the event is 12-year-old Maddox Westhouse, Tom's son, who saw the boy drowning with his friends.

"My friends shouted that he was drowning and that he should be rescued. I immediately ran and called my father, who ran to the pool."

Tom himself jumped over the fence and performed CPR on Javier for long minutes.

"As soon as he started coughing water I knew the situation was good," he said.

According to local rescuers, Javier was underwater for three minutes and 22 seconds, which only illustrates the magnitude of the miracle.

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