10-year-old boys saved their dad’s life with CPR learned from ‘The Sandlot’

Heroes come in all forms, and these 10-year-old twin boys are no exception after performing life-saving CPR on their dad.

Bridon and Christian Hassig were at the pool with their father, Brad, and their 11-year-old friend Sam when Brad suddenly lost consciousness while swimming.

“It was a typical afternoon—we had music on the speakers and I was doing breathing exercises underwater to relax,” Brad tells TODAY. “I wasn’t pushing myself or trying to be a Navy Seal.”

Unfortunately, he went underwater after he went unconscious. Bridon and Sam noted Brad was slumped over and called Christian over, and he put on his goggles and dove underwater.

Related: A drowning investigator’s plea to parents about water safety goes viral

“Christian said I was on my side and shaking and my head was turning blue,” Brad said. “He yelled for Bridon and Sam to jump in and they each grabbed a shoulder and pulled me to the stairs.”

The boys tried to get help from their neighbors, who weren’t home. Fortunately, Christian was able to get the attention of a nearby driver, who then called 911. Bridon began performing CPR on his dad based on what he learned from movies like The Sandlot and Hook.

Eventually, a neighbor of the Hassigs—who is a cardiologist—heard the ambulance sirens and ran to their backyard and dragged Brad’s body from the pool steps to the deck. When Brad came to, he coughed up blood, foam and water—likely due to the natural mucus contained in our lungs that mixes with the water and air a drowning person can inhale.

Brad told TODAY that he as he was regaining consciousness, he heard his son Christian saying, “Daddy come back. You have to be OK.”

Related: Teens are the second most at-risk age group for drowning

Once he was at the hospital, Brad was diagnosed with hypoxia—low levels of oxygen in your body tissues. Hypoxia can cause confusion, restlessness, difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate, and bluish skin. After spending 24 hours in the cardiac intensive-care unit, he was also diagnosed with pulmonary edema—a condition caused by too much fluid in the lungs—and shortness of breath.

He vows never to swim alone again and to keep his exercises above water.

“I’m so proud of my boys,” he said. “I tell them, ‘Remember you guys are heroes’ and I will be grateful to them forever. And Sam is such a kind and gentle kid. It’s a bond now.”

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