WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — A Wesley Chapel couple is sharing their story after they discovered their 19-month-old daughter unresponsive in their backyard pool.
Home security cameras captured David Zanvardine as he shouted to neighbors for help.
He had just pulled his daughter, Zoey, out of the backyard pool. His wife, Tamara, called 911 and started CPR.
The couple said their gate surrounding their pool did not close properly.
"What we think happened, she was in the playhouse, the gate does not close properly that we learned and she was able to get her fingers in and open it. There was a little orange basketball that was spinning in one of our waterfalls in the pool and I think that caught her attention and she went and got it and she fell in," said David.
The incident happened on August 6 at their Wesley Chapel home.
The couple credits two neighbors who rushed over and took over live-saving measures.
"We had an Army veteran who lived across the street who came pretty immediately and then an ER nurse in our neighborhood responded as well. We were just so thankful they heard the cries of help from my husband. They came over, took over CPR and they had a greater skill set than my husband or I and were in a better state of mind," said Tamara.
Pasco County paramedics arrived and airlifted the toddler to St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa.
The toddler spent two nights in an intensive care unit and doctors believe she made a full recovery.
"It happened so fast that we never expected this to happen to us. We have a pool gate. We have gates all over the house. They've had 6 to 7 swim lessons in our pool. We thought we did everything right and it still happened to us," said Tamara.
The couple is grateful for the paramedics and neighbors who saved their daughter. They're sharing their story to bring awareness to pool safety.
Since the accident, they added a pool alarm. Zoey and her older brother will also enroll in survival swim lessons with the Water Smart Tots Foundation.
"I wish we had done survival swim lessons. We didn't. We are enrolled to do survival swim right now which is a type of training where they learn the type of skills to float, turn upside down versus standard swim lessons which she had," said Tamara.
Since January of 2024, the Water Smart Tots Foundation has awarded scholarships for self rescue swimming skills lessons valued at $41,160. The foundation has a waiting list of families seeking assistance as they wait for additional funding.
According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages one to four.
"That's the scary thing with a toddler or with a child, drowning can happen in seconds and I just never expected that to happen and then when my husband jumped in the pool I was shocked, but I knew it happened to us," said Tamara.
"It's changed my life. I think it puts in perspective that I can't take anything for granted...I've learned that people are so genuinely good, the kindness that our neighborhood has shown, and friends, family, and strangers. I just learned that you do need people especially at a time of need and I've learned that miracles happen."
For more information on the Water Smart Tots Foundation and how to support the cause, click here.
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