Lori Keeney of Kingston, Oklahoma was having a great day on August 6th with her 10-year-old son Gavin and her service dog and her father Stephen Lowe, who lives next door.
They spent the morning in the backyard pool, swimming and having lunch and an over-all great time.
Her father went home to get changed, Gavin got out of the pool and was drying off and entering the home when it happened.
Lori had a epileptic seizure.
They happen almost daily now.
And she started to drown.
Said Lori, “It scared me more than I’ve ever been scared.”
Gavin noticed what was happening right before the dog realized it.
"I heard what was a lot of splashing and moving around. I heard kind of yelling, but also drowning. So, then I looked and saw her seizing. And so I went and jumped in and got her back to the ladder."
And then Gavin ran over and dived in without a single hesitation.
He kept his mothers head above water whilst he pulled over to the shallow end, all the whilst their dog was looking at his charge in trouble, barking to bring attention to the goings-on.
When her father heard the barking, he ran straight over.
Lori was too discombobulated to get out of the pool, though she tried.
She was panicking.
And when her dad grabbed her, she held onto him as the rock that he has always been.
It was then, with father and daughter holding, hugging, safe… that’s when grandpa motioned over to Gavin to come join them in this family affair moment.
So beautiful, so touching.
After watching the home security cameras of the incident, Lori said, “Truly amazing thing to see, and I don’t normally get to see him in action and what he gets to do after I’m having a seizure. It’s just, this is the first time I actually got to see it just because of security cameras.
So much pride in him. At the same time, it was heartbreaking to watch.”
This is isn’t the first time that Gavin has saved his moms life.
About a year ago, he helped dislodge a piece of food after she had a seizure whilst they were eating.
So for the second time in his young life, Gavin was given an award for his bravery.
The ‘Saving A Life’ plaque.
In a celebration of Gavin, the Kingston Police Department let everyone on social media know that "we have a hero in Marshall county."
"Due to his quick actions, he saved a life," Chief Kasey Cox said, adding that the boy jumped into the pool "without hesitation" and held tight to Lori until his grandfather arrived.
"Due to Gavin's quick actions, his mother didn't have to go to the hospital and swallowed no water. He is a hero. That's the bottom line.
Thank you Gavin you are a true hero and a positive light for this community.”
‘A little love and affection
In everything you do,
Will make the world a better place’