Father and Nurses Save Toddler from Drowning at Bryngarw Country Park
Stefan Johnson, a father of two, rescued a three-year-old boy from drowning at Bryngarw Country Park in Bridgend, Wales. Shortly before the incident, Stefan had completed a refresher life-saving course. The boy, from Newport, was revived by two nurses who happened to be nearby before being taken to hospital in stable condition.
Stefan, his partner Sophie, their three-year-old son George, and three-month-old daughter Nora were walking in the park when Sophie noticed what she initially thought was a child swimming in the pond. Stefan soon realized the boy was in distress and jumped into the water to pull him out.
Stefan described his response to the emergency:
"I was in the zone. It's like I had to stay calm, to focus,"
He struggled to find a pulse and began performing external CPR while Sophie called for help.
Stefan explained the gravity of the situation:
"You're just thinking, this is real now, I've got to just crack on. It's completely different to having a dummy in front of you,"
His training from a few weeks earlier was put to the test in a real-life scenario.
Nurses Respond and Perform CPR
Sophie’s calls for help were heard by people on the terrace of Bryngarw House, where guests were preparing to attend a wedding. Among them were nurses Emma Brown, 38, and Kelsey Pirie, 35, who immediately ran to assist.
They found the boy unresponsive with no signs of life and took over CPR efforts. Despite their panic and the pressure of a growing crowd, they continued for approximately five minutes without seeing any improvement.
Kelsey, who usually cares for adults and had no prior experience performing CPR on children, said:
"We were not in work mode at all, there was no crash team to call and no emergency buzzer to pull. Instinct kind of kicked in,"
Emma added:
"Literally he came back to life when the paramedics pulled up. The timing of it all was crazy. If the boy had been found ten minutes later we would have already been inside watching the wedding."
Aftermath and Reflections
Stefan expressed relief when he saw the boy’s chest rise and fall but admitted the incident continues to affect him emotionally. He recounted:
"When I'm driving on my own, I see his face floating in the water, I see his body on the pavement."
He hopes that sharing his experience will encourage others to learn basic lifesaving skills.
Emma and Kelsey also acknowledged the lasting impact of the event:
"This is going to stay with us forever but at least it had a positive outcome,"
They were able to attend their friend’s wedding later that afternoon after a brief delay.
Official Response
South Wales Police confirmed the three-year-old boy was taken to hospital in stable condition. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is ongoing.
