Here at MummyPages, we know that vital information can mean the difference between life and death, and the following story is the perfect example of that.
A US father has thanked a grieving family for speaking out about losing their son to dry drowning – as it helped them to save their own child’s life.
Dry drowning arises where, hours or even days after swallowing water, an individual experiences a spasm in the airway. This causes secondary drowning, where that water hits the lungs and causes inflammation. Symptoms include breathing difficulties, coughing and vomiting.
Little Frankie Delgado, aged four, died from a suspected case of dry drowning last week after a trip to a swimming pool. The tot began experiencing severe breathing problems and, six days after his visit to the pool, he collapsed. Tragically, he died a short time later.
Frankie’s devastated parents, Tara and Francisco, felt moved to speak out about dry drowning, in the hopes of saving other lives.
Well, the Delgados can rest assured that their story has made a huge difference to the lives of one family.
Indeed, Colorado father Garon Vega has publicly thanked the Delgados for sharing their story, and credited them with helping to save his two-year-old son’s life.
Garon had listened to the Delgados’ story shortly before his son, Gio, began experiencing fever and breathing difficulty. He had been to the local swimming pool earlier in the week, and had swallowed a little water.
Garon knew that these could well be the signs of dry drowning, and he rushed his son to the emergency room. Thank heavens he did – according to the doctor who examined Gio, this quick-thinking action saved his life.
It turns out that Gio had fluid on his lungs. According to his doctor, he would not have survived the night if Garon had not brought him in to the hospital.
Speaking to local news outlet ABC13, Garon thanked the Delgados for helping him to save his young son’s life.
“I feel like I needed to reach out to the parents of little Frankie and tell them – I don’t know how to word it – but their little boy saved our little boy’s life,” he said.
“There was a purpose. It was an unfortunate thing that happened, but if I had not told my wife that he swallowed the water, and if she had not seen that article, I think we would have ended up dispelling it as a regular sickness.”
The Delgados had, at the time, pleaded with parents everywhere to read up about the signs and symptoms of dry drowning.
“Let’s bring it out to the world and let everyone know it exists,” Tara told TODAY.
A message of caution can make such a difference. We are relieved to hear that little Gio is OK.
