Trophy Club Town Council will honor five first responders and the 2-year-old boy they rescued in January on Monday night.
Trophy Club Town Council plans to present a special lifesaving award to Police Officer Barry Sullivan, Police Sgt. Jim Norcross, Fire Lt. Shane A. Beck, Fire Engineer Shawn Garrett and Firefighter Matthew Tackett for their actions in saving the life of 2-year-old Devin Peters.
Officer Sullivan was the first to arrive at the Peters’ home at about 3:50 p.m. on Jan.9 to find the toddler unconscious and not breathing after he fell into his family’s backyard pool.
Sullivan began CPR and was soon joined by Sgt. Norcross.
"Got toned for a medical emergency and found out on the way there it was going to be a pediatric drowning,” said Fire Lt. Beck who arrived with Garrett and Tackett minutes later.
The fire crew began advanced CPR techniques. They estimated that after about 7 to 8 minutes of the toddler not breathing, he responded.
"In 30 years EMS, I would say that I was very surprised to see him come back,” said Fire Lt. Beck.
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The boy was then sent to Baylor Grapevine hospital and later transferred to Dallas Children's Hospital where he spent four weeks in intensive care, followed by one week in rehabilitation.
"Doctors at Children's said Devin's PH level was lower than any kid that's ever survived at the hospital," said Trophy Club Police and Fire Chaplain Joel Quile, who admits he feared the worst when he arrived to be with boy’s family that day. “I came expecting to do a funeral and now we get to talk about a miracle."
Despite the tough odds the toddler recovered with no long-term damage and on Monday, less than two months after his ordeal, walked into the fire department to meet his heroes.
"The doctors and just everybody, start to finish, handled it so good,” said Fire Chaplain Quile, who has been with the family throughout the boy's recovery.
The boy’s parents plan to visit the first responders after the award ceremony, but Fire Chaplain Quile passed along a message from the boy’s mother, ‘all glory to God,’ adding she couldn’t be more grateful to the first responders.
The team also got the toddler something to remember his fight to recover: a special set of dog tags that read ‘Devin Peters: Miracle.’
