‘Thanksgiving Miracle’: California Teen Saves Life of Toddler Who Fell Into Pool

A California teen is being hailed as a hero after performing life-saving CPR on a toddler who fell into a pool on Thanksgiving Day.

15-year-old Madison Atkinson was gathered with her extended family at their Northridge home and while breakfast was being prepared the incident occurred, ABC7 reported.

Her 3-year-old relative, Maxine, was thought to be playing inside with the other children.

However, home surveillance video obtained by TODAY shows the little girl making her way into the backyard by herself, leaning over the family’s in-ground pool, and heading straight over the edge into the water.

15-year-old Madison Atkinson is being hailed a hero for using her CPR training from school and saving the life of a drowning three-year-old on Thanksgiving. @LizKreutzNews reports. pic.twitter.com/PFDRHk0g5S

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 27, 2023

A few minutes passed before Maxine’s uncle came outside to discover her face-down in the pool. He jumped in and pulled the toddler’s limp body from the water, calling for help.

Several other adult family members then rushed outside, but were only able to witness the efforts to revive the girl prove fruitless.

Atkinson quickly assessed the situation, and immediately knew exactly what to do from CPR training she had received in school.

“I saw that he was trying the Heimlich,” she told the outlet. “But I knew in that case you needed CPR because she didn’t seem like she was breathing. I told everyone I knew CPR and it calmed everyone down.”

“Then they just laid her down on the ground and I started CPR.”

She was soon able to revive Maxine, who the family says has made a full recovery.

Damian Gilbert says he is very proud of his stepdaughter, who was the only one in the house certified to perform CPR.

“I’m literally watching a 15-year-old girl basically bring back our niece, a 3-year-old, to life,” Gilbert said. “It was something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

Madison’s heroic effort was a “Thanksgiving miracle,” her mother, Kirstin Atkinson, told TODAY.

She described her daughter’s actions as “calm, cool, collected,” and “not panicked.”