Heroic man saves child (4) from drowning
“Even though I spent my day with the wet uniform I was just glad that I could save a child."
He has been named the hero without a cape after he saved a four-year-old from drowning last week.
In an email, to the CHRONICLE a resident in the complex gave a quick description of Joshua Ramathemela’s actions that saved the child.
“We heard children screaming at the pool and then saw Joshua running like the wind. When I got to the pool, Joshua had jumped in, clothes and all, and managed to get the four-year-old out of the water.
“There was no parental supervision and this scene could have been devastating had Joshua hesitated a bit or arrived a few seconds later. “Joshua Ramathemela is surely a hero without a cape,” the email read.
On the day
We caught up with Joshua, a 33-year-old security guard at Kallvest Smart Security at Glenvista Village Complex, to tell us about his actions that made him a hero in the eyes of many.
“When I was asked to remove the safety net from the swimming pool, I sensed that something might go wrong. The children were not safe and unattended to,” he said.
A few minutes after he left the pool site he heard children screaming for help.
“I knew something went wrong and I had to react quickly. When I got to the pool the child was drowning and nobody could assist,” Joshua said.
“Luckily, I know how to swim and I just knew I had to get to the child. Without hesitation, I jumped over the gate and dove into the swimming pool with my work uniform.
“I took the child out of the pool and the child was struggling to breathe. I laid her down and started to perform CPR. Fortunately, the child came to life and puked water,” said Joshua.
According to Joshua, the child was scared and asked not to be placed back into the pool again.
“I felt so sorry for her and comforted her and asked the parents to take the child to the doctors. The pool was just cleaned and I was afraid it may have some effect on the child because of the chemicals.”
Joshua told the CHRONICLE that he was told the child’s father is a doctor and that he will do what is needed to make sure she is alright.
The parents were grateful and the complex management also thanked Joshua for his heroic actions that saved the girl’s life.
Be vigilant
For Joshua, this was also a very traumatic experience and he said that when he realised the child could have drowned and lost her life, he was nearly shattered.
“It was a scary and painful experience. I would not have been able to forgive myself if I had lost the child. “I have three children at home and I am doing the best I can to take care of them. I don’t think I would have forgiven myself if the child did not live after I tried saving her life.
“Even though I spent my day with the wet uniform I was just glad that I could save a child. “I just did something that anyone could have done. The child is alive and that is all that matters.”
Joshua also added, “Parents must be vigilant at all times because children are just children.”
