Mila was found “lifeless” when she was removed from the pool.
A couple from North Carolina had a scary moment when their 2-year-old daughter almost drowned in their backyard pool.
In a video shared by the Gastonia Police on Twitter, Mila is seen lying lifeless by the pool. Her dad and a family friend quickly performed CPR to save her during the Memorial Day weekend.
Amazing pool rescue and CPR. A Gaston County father saves daughter on Memorial Day. The Gastonia Police Department wants all families, everywhere, to be cautious at pools, lakes, and beaches. Know CPR, use life vests, and have a plan. #GastoniaNC @redcross_NC @Redcross pic.twitter.com/OgIPl6I1xg
— Gastonia Police (@GPDNC) June 20, 2024
In an interview with ABC News, Matthew Shortridge explained that he was watching the kids in the pool with other adults nearby. He looked away for a moment and then heard his other daughter screaming.
“Mila went to my wife on the porch, and my wife took off her arm floaties. My wife had to go to the restroom, and a friend took off Mila’s life vest. I turned my head for a bit, and Mila walked back into the pool without her floaties or life vest. That’s when my other daughter saw her floating with her head in the water and screamed, ‘Mila,’ really loud.”
When Mila was pulled from the pool, Shortridge said she looked “blue-gray,” wasn’t breathing, and was limp and lifeless.
He and a family friend, who is a nurse, immediately started CPR while another relative called 911.
After two and a half minutes of CPR, Mila finally let out some air and started breathing.
“At that moment, I felt more hopeful but was still worried about her brain,” Mila’s mom, Amy Shortridge, told ABC News. “As we walked around the pool checking on her, I kept asking my husband how she was doing. Then we heard her say, ‘Daddy.’ When she recognized him, I knew she was okay.”
Mila was taken to the hospital by paramedics and has since recovered, her family said.
