Sisters rescue toddler who fell in pond
CLONDROHID TRIO REACTED QUICKLY IN EMERGENCY
A TODDLER who was walking with his mother near the Atlantic Pond in Cork City was rescued by three alert sisters from Clondrohid when he fell in to the bitterly cold water.
Denise Kelleher, her twin Sinéad and their older sister Muireann were out for a walk by the shore of the Atlantic Pond in Blackpool in Cork City on Thursday evening, June 11, when the drama took place.
“Around 100 yards ahead of us a mother was walking and alongside was a toddler (Tadhg),” Denise related.
“She was carrying a baby in her arms and we noticed that the toddler was drifting away from her and she was trying to call him back.
“The next minute he was looking at the ducks in the pond when he toppled head over heels into the water.
“Sinéad immediately jumped in after him as his mother’s arms were full.
“She put her baby on the bank and jumped in then - Muireann picked up the baby and, as I wasn’t sure whether she could swim.
“Sinéad grabbed the toddler and brought him ashore and Muireann pulled him out and then Sinéad got the mother out.”
Afterwards everybody was slightly shocked as the entire drama had occurred very quickly. The baby was put back in the pram. “Louise, the mum, insisted on giving us her phone number as her phone was damaged in the water.”
A few days passed when the sisters tried to call Louise to enquire how she and her son, Tadhg, were after the incident and, perhaps, arrange to meet up but when they called her phone was out of order, still damaged after the water.
That wasn’t the end of the story, however, as Louise made contact with Red FM presenter Neil Prendivillle to launch an appeal through his radio show.
“My almost three year old fearless son Tadhg slipped into the Atlantic Pond in Blackrock last Thursday at lunchtime,” Louise wrote in a letter to the station. “I had my seven month old son in my arms when it happened and even though it was only for a couple of seconds; I froze and I didn’t know what to do. The water was quite high, and he was flailing around in it.
“Three of the nicest sisters rushed to my aid.
“Honestly, they didn’t hesitate to help, and they spurred me into action.
“One of them took my seven month old, whilst myself and one of the other sisters went into the pond to get him.
“It was really slippy, and we both fell ourselves in the process of getting him out of the water.
“Luckily, a man jogging stopped and helped us out.we were all soaked from head to toe.”
Now the sisters and Louise and her children are hoping to get together for a chat and a cup of coffee to build on the bond created by their dramatic first encounter.