OLATHE, Kan. — It was a very close call for little Dominic Scapecchi on Monday after nearly drowning in his neighborhood pool.
The 3-year-old is now out of the hospital and back home. But that near drowning scare had his parents and lots of neighbors on edge. And just 24 hours later, he’s back in the sun having fun.
“He’s doing good. He got home this morning from the hospital,” father Richard Scapecchi told FOX 4. “He doesn’t seem different. He’s playing video games. He’s outside playing in the water, like nothing happened.”
Dominic and six other children spent the afternoon at the pool with Richard’s wife and her girlfriend. The two parents and children were about to leave and head home when the moms immediately noticed the 3-year-old was missing.
“His mom took the floaties and dried all the kids off and had them walking towards the gate and he decided he didn’t want to talk to the gate,” Richard said. “He climbed down the ladder and got into the pool.”
Neighbor Ashley Francher and a friend quickly pulled the unconscious boy out of the pool, gave him CPR and revived him — ultimately saving his life.
On Tuesday, the lucky survivor and his mom gave Francher flowers, a card and a special drawing from Dominic.
It was their way of saying thanks, they said.
“It made me cry,” Francher said. “I mean that’s every mother’s worst nightmare. I mean you feel for that mother no matter what.”
It didn’t go unrecognized by dad, either.
“He’s alive because of them.”
