“…The water was a bit cloudy; he could make out a figure — pool artwork, he thought — that looked like it had six limbs. He didn’t realize it at the time, but what he saw was the near-drowning victim, laying on a black line on the pool’s bottom…”
“…The child’s father, who had been watching over two younger children, rushed over and started frantically administering CPR while Garry Pate made sure the boy’s head was turned to the side as fluids gushed forth from the boy…”
Justice was recently recognized by DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis, the Board of Commissioners and others for his bravery over the summer in getting the 7-year-old out of a hotel pool in Bridgeton, Missouri, near St. Louis. Justice has received medals, police patches, and commendations from DeKalb and Bridgeton.
When Justice arrived at the pool — crowded due to a birthday celebration — he found his brother Makenzie just dangling his feet in the water and his brother Maxwell sitting with his father, Garry Pate, who was in a lounge chair watching a nine-year-old cousin play in the three-feet area of the pool.
Justice got in the water and started practicing for a pool game when he saw “a big, grayish object†– a child slowly floating near the bottom of the pool.
Justice knew something was wrong. He came out of the water and went over to his father. Dad, there’s a boy on the bottom of the pool, Justice told him.
That’s a drawing or painting at the bottom, Garry Pate said. But before he could say another word, his son had left his side.
“Justice didn’t even look at me,†Garry Pate recalled. “He jumped in.â€
Pushing off the wall with his legs to gain speed, Justice quickly swam down to the child. He grabbed him, pulled him up, swam to the surface and held the child up over the water.
“Call 911!†Garry Pate shouted. Nervously, a niece did, helped by other relatives in getting the right address to the dispatcher.
Justice got the child to the wall where his father was standing, and Garry Pate helped get the victim to the pool deck.
Some people on the pool deck stood frozen among the commotion.
The child’s father, who had been watching over two younger children, rushed over and started frantically administering CPR while Garry Pate made sure the boy’s head was turned to the side as fluids gushed forth from the boy.
