When you’re a kid, there’s nothing more fun than playing at the beach.
And it’s not just the water that makes it the best time ever.
However, a Mayo Clinic proceeding warned parents always to accompany children while playing in the sand.
Accidental sand burials can be fatal, especially to children.
Be it by the beach, a sandbox, or even playing near a construction site, parents must be cautious about where their children are playing.
They also said that early extrication from the sand and proper airway management increase the odds of keeping the child alive and safe.
Sadly, for 5-year-old Alyssa Bostic, this accident turned a fun day into a very frightening one.
Marina Dunes Beach in Monterey looked calm one July day.
The weather was perfect for a fun family getaway.
Alyssa and a few other kids played in the sand, taking their time while having some fun digging.
They managed to dig out a “sand cave” that little Alyssa decided to crawl into.
She indeed crawled inside, curious if she would fit in it.
She did, but, after a few moments, paid a terrible price.
The sand eventually collapsed on her.
That moment of fun and laughter turned into horror.
The sand that covered the 5-year-old was so high that it covered her completely.
Without any room to breathe, Alyssa blacked out.
Fortunately, an 11-year-old named Connor jumped into action.
He spotted the little girl’s bag beneath the sand, which helped him determine where her head was.
That’s when he started digging in order to save her life.
He continued digging until he found the 5-year-old Alyssa with her eyes and nose covered in sand.
Connor didn’t stop and eventually was able to pull Alyssa out of the sand cave.
He noticed Alyssa wasn’t breathing, as she had been trapped under the sand for a few minutes.
According to KSBW Action News 8, Connor explained that her body was “limp” and “lifeless.”
This young boy made another quick judgment to do CPR on Alyssa.
He said he didn’t know how to perform it but just followed what he saw from the television series NCIS.
Thanks to this, Alyssa’s breathing was back, but she was still unconscious.
Connor called his father, who called paramedics.
The medical teams arrived in a few minutes and said that Connor’s quick action to the situation spelled out the difference of a few minutes between life and death.
Luckily for Alyssa, she was saved in time – and she has Connor to thank for.
The two children and their families now have a special friendship that came out of this incident.
Alyssa’s family was grateful for Connor, while Connor and his family were humble and were just glad that everything turned out well.
And here’s a bit of a bonus for Connor…
Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado honored the boy’s heroic actions during the City Board Conference the next month.
He was also honored by the American Legion Auxiliary with a National Youth Hero Award.
He truly deserved it!
Watch the video below to hear more about this scary story and how 11-year-old Connor saved the day!
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