sat . A Miracle Moment: Mt. Angel Family Reunited With Rescuers After 5-Year-Old Nearly Drowned
MT. ANGEL, Ore. (KPTV) – A 5-year-old boy from Mt. Angel has made a full recovery after nearly drowning in his family’s pool last summer, thanks to quick action from his brothers and a chain of first responders.
Matty Bischoff was unconscious and not breathing when his 10-year-old brother Toasty found him at the bottom of the family pool. Matty had slipped out of his life jacket while playing with a new shark floatie.
His older brothers pulled him from the water and called 911. The family’s mother performed CPR under the guidance of 911 dispatcher Brandi Johnson.
“911 dispatch got on and said you need to start chest compressions – that was hard, very hard,” Matty’s mother, Meghan Bischoff said. “But any mom would do what a mom has to do to keep their babies here.”
Mt. Angel Fire Chief Jim Trierweiler and his crew arrived and took over CPR before rushing Matty to the hospital. The team got a strong heart rate back before transport.
“There’s a big window of time where you don’t know if there’s going to be brain damage or not,” Trierweiler said.
A Life Flight helicopter flew Matty to a Portland emergency room, where he stayed connected to tubes and machines for 15 days. Doctors warned the family about possible delays and handicaps.
“Lots of big meds for a little boy – so he was sick, pretty sick,” Meghan said.
Matty has since made a complete recovery and returned home to his family of seven boys.
“He has just surpassed everybody’s expectation – he is 100% who he was before,” Meghan said.
The family recently met Johnson, the 911 dispatcher, for the first time. Johnson said it was her first drowning call.
“Often times with 911, we don’t know the outcome of our calls. We’re the first stop in the chain of help,” Johnson said. “I’ll remember Matty’s live date for the rest of my life.”
The family said they wanted to thank the many people who helped save Matty’s life.
“Our family was touched by hundreds,” his mother said. “It kinda brings back your faith in humanity in the end, it’s a great story of miraculous healing.”
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