Dive Rescue Team saves 7 year old boy in OH

[BladesRobinson]

KUDOS TO THE DIVE TEAM!!!

Boy, 7, Was Under Water For About An Hour
Monday, January 4, 2010 5:13 PM

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/01/04/story-child-near-drowning-ice.html?sid=102

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Pataskala boy remained in critical condition on Monday, one day after falling through the ice at a pond.

Family members said that Alexander Hanson-Cyrus, 7, was under water for about an hour, 10TV's Lindsey Seavert reported.
He was airlifted to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus after the Sunday incident near Laurelville, in Hocking County.
According to the Hocking County Sheriff's Office, Hanson-Cyrus attended his cousin's birthday party. Unbeknownst to the parents, the boy wandered away with another little boy and walked onto a manmade pond, about 100 yards behind the house.
Detectives said that Alexander fell in the water. The other boy tried to grab his coat but Hanson-Cyrus fell out of his coat and went under. The friend ran to get help. Adults jumped in the pond and could not rescue him until fire crews and divers arrived.
"Hopefully the boy gets along OK," said Jay Garrett, an assistant captain of the Laurelville Fire Department. "My prayers are with the family."
The ice was estimated to be about 2 inches thick
The family asked for the public's prayers.

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Boy, 7, Hospitalized After Falling Into Icy Pond
Monday, January 4, 2010 12:26 AM
Updated: Monday, January 4, 2010 12:43 PM
http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/01/04/story_child_falls_through_ice.html?sid=102

LAURELVILLE, Ohio — A 7-year-old boy remained hospitalized Monday after falling through the ice at a pond in rural Hocking County.
Officials at Nationwide Children's Hospital have not provided an update on the condition of Alexander Hanson Cyrus since he was airlifted there on Sunday, 10TV's Lindsey Seavert reported.
Cyrus, of Pataskala, was at his cousin's birthday party at a home on Union Road, located near Laurelville, when he and another boy ventured outside and onto an ice-covered pond.
That's when the ice broke and the boys fell into the water.
People attending the party jumped into the pond but were not able to reach Cyrus. The other boy managed to escape without being injured.
Firefighter dive teams arrived at the scene and pulled Cyrus from the water, but not after he spent several minutes in the water.
"He was in the water roughly an hour," said Salt Creek-Tarlton Fire Department Capt. Troy Hayes. "It's one of those things where you keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best."

 

[Gary D.]

To put it in the words of Mr. Rogers, “It’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood”.

Prayers sent

Gary D.

 

[DM95]

Wow... hearing about this type of call out always gives me that butterfly feeling in the stomach. Best wishes to the boy and his family.

 

[Wildbill]

Great Job to the Divers...... Prayers are with child and families

 

[BladesRobinson]

Fundraiser helps family of 6-year-old boy who survived 67 minutes underwater
Sunday, January 24, 2010 3:36 AM
BY HOLLY ZACHARIAH
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


TARLTON, Ohio -- All he did, volunteer firefighter and diver Chad Howard insisted, is rescue a little boy who had fallen through the ice and disappeared into the cold and murky water.

It is Alaxandar Hanson-Cyrus, Howard said, who deserves all the credit.

"He's the one who is fighting, every minute of every day," Howard said. "It's Day 20, and he hasn't given up. That's all that really matters."

Howard was among hundreds of people who showed up at the Tarlton Town Hall yesterday for a Red Cross blood drive and fundraiser to benefit Alaxandar's family.

Known simply as "A.J." to family and friends, the 6-year-old tumbled into a pond on Jan. 2 after slipping away from a birthday party at an aunt's house in nearby Hocking County.

He remains in a coma at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus. Firefighters say the boy was underwater for 67 minutes, an extraordinary period for him to have survived.

A.J. is known to torment his cousins and cut his own hair. Luckily, aunt Arianne Green said, she is always around with a pair of clippers for repairs.

He is not in the clear yet, but the family credits faith, prayer and A.J.'s stubborn streak and willpower for how far he has come. It's too soon to tell what the lasting effects of the trauma might be, Green said.

Nevertheless, Alison Hanson and Craig Cyrus are already focusing on when they can bring their son back to their Pataskala home. Until then, someone stays at A.J.'s bedside 24/7.

They talk to him, tease him and read books to him.

They read him every good wish and message that strangers and friends alike leave on a Facebook page. They read the prayers and poems from the hundreds of cards he receives. And they tell him funny stories about the havoc his cousins wreak.

A.J. has required a lot of blood in the last couple of weeks, so the blood drive yesterday was a way for the family to help replenish a bit of the central Ohio supply. And all the money raised from a silent auction, bake sale and raffle will help A.J., his parents and their other four children get by.

Spending a few hours there yesterday was the least Howard could do, he said. The family kept pointing him out to people, calling him a hero, telling others that he deserves their gratitude.

The 38-year-old Tarlton man was uncomfortable with the attention but grateful for the chance to deflect the praise onto A.J. and his family.

Plenty of others -- firefighters and relatives, all without proper dive equipment -- tried frantically to save A.J. before the divers arrived. By the time Howard suited up, his 20 years of experience with the Saltcreek Tarlton Volunteer Fire Department told him the outcome wouldn't be good.

But he was underwater only about three minutes, and down about 8 feet, when he felt something. He tucked A.J. under his right arm and sailed to the surface.

A medical helicopter was waiting.

"You just don't see it like that, that anyone could be alive after that," Howard said. "Everything worked in his favor that day. The kid must be a fighter."



235

 

[BladesRobinson]

According to a family friend, "He is not on life support as stated by the news he is breathing on his own and his heart beats a beautifull tune . He has a few more surgeries scheduled for the next week so they are gonna keep him sedated awhile longer but overall he is making great progress!!!"

 

[Gary D.]

Yahooooooooo

Keep they prayers headed his way.....

 

[DM95]

Thanks for the update Blades-

 

[BladesRobinson]

Homecoming Planned for Boy Who Fell Through Ice

PATASKALA, Ohio - The rush is on to prepare for a 6-year-old boy being released from the hospital this week, two months after falling through the ice.

Alax Hanson was rescued in early January after spending more than an hour in the bone-chilling pond water. His mother says she hasn't left his bedside at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus since the accident.

Now his father is making changes to the family's Pataskala home to prepare for Alax's arrival, which will include quite a bit of medical equipment and a wheelchair.
Anyone who can help the family with medical equipment, building supplies or a van is asked to post a message on Alax's Facebook page, "Prayers for Alax."


AGAIN...KUDOS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIVE TEAM! IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE TEAM HAD A 60+ MINUTE RESPONSE TIME. HOPEFULLY THE LOCAL COMMUNITY MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND DIVERS AND TRAIN THEM TO PERFORM THIS LIFE SAVING SERVICE. HAD THE RESPONSE BEEN FASTER THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER SINCE IT ONLY TOOK THE DIVER "ABOUT THREE MINUTES" TO FIND ALAX.

 

[BladesRobinson]

Boy returns home after January fall through ice

BY ANNA SUDAR
Advocate Reporter
ETNA TOWNSHIP -- After 63 days in the hospital, a Pataskala 7-year-old is home with his family.
Alaxandar Hanson-Cyrus was released Monday afternoon from Children's Hospital in Columbus.
He was hospitalized Jan. 3 after he fell through ice in a Hocking County pond.
Alax was attending his cousin's birthday party when he wandered away and fell into a manmade pond. Authorities said he was in the water for about an hour. People attending the party tried to rescue Alax but were unable to get to him. Firefighter dive teams pulled him from the pond.
A small group of family, friends and representatives from the Laurelville Volunteer and Columbus fire departments gathered at the hospital Monday to celebrate Alax's homecoming with a balloon-release ceremony, said Celeste Dotson, a family friend.
They released 63 balloons, one for each day Alax was at Children's Hospital.
"It was emotional. People were happy, some cried," Dotson said. "It was pretty exciting."
Alax originally was expected to come home last week, but doctors kept him a few more days for observation, Dotson said.
Those few extra days gave his family and local volunteers a chance to get the house ready for Alax's homecoming, Dotson said.
Alax is in a wheelchair, so the house had to be made handicap-accessible, Dotson said. Carpeting was replaced with wood floors and a temporary wheelchair ramp was installed.
A more permanent ramp, donated by Goofy Guys Painting and Remodeling in Columbus, will be built in the spring.
Dotson is organizing a balloon-release ceremony this weekend at Stewart Auto Group in Pataskala, and she also is planning a benefit for Alax's family May 2 at Nutcracker Family Restaurant.
Although Alax is out of the hospital, his family still needs donations and medical supplies, Dotson said.
"Once they settle in at home, they will let me know what they are going to need," Dotson said. "There are a lot of things insurance doesn't cover. They are not out of the woods yet."
Those interesting in donating can contact Dotson through the "Prayers for Alax" Facebook group.