GREENSBORO, N.C. — A 61-year-old man is recovering in the hospital after almost drowning in a Greensboro apartment pool Thursday.
His 8-year-old grandson is being called a hero after saving his life.
Christian Matos said he and his grandfather love spending time together.
"He takes care of me when I'm sad. He gives me Gatorade or soda, even coke, or we go on a walk," said Matos.
Thursday they decided to take a trip to their pool at an apartment complex off Cotswold Avenue.
"While we were at the pool we started laughing and playing and stuff," said Matos.
Until the unthinkable happened, Matos said his grandfather went under the water to wet his hair and came up too quickly.
"He swallowed too much of the water and I just saw him laying there with his head down and arms like this and I felt his heart and it wasn't doing anything," said Matos.
His grandfather nearly drowned until Matos managed to drag his grandfather out of the pool and performed CPR, a procedure the mother said he's never learned before.
"I have never taught him that. It has never even dawned on me to teach him that. It’s a shame but it’s true. All of it goes to God. It had to have been God to step in and let this boy do what he did," said Cerise Hammie.
The grandfather is now recovering in the hospital after the family called 911.
"I want to hang out with him again, hug him and stuff, take him on a walk, but no pool anymore," said Matos.
The family told News 2 that doctors were able to extract more water from the grandfather's lungs.
The family plans to give him a call and they're thankful they'll be able to hear his voice again.