EMS salutes teenager for saving drowning boy at apartment pool

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services officials presented an “Outstanding Citizen Award” to a teen who jumped into an apartment pool in June to save the life of a drowning child.

Marcus Weekly — who was 13 at the time — was playing with a beach ball with his friends near the Fort Branch at Truman’s Landing apartments’ swimming pool June 11 when his friend’s sister spotted a child in the water.

“He noticed a small child in the deep end (lying) lifeless at the bottom of the pool,” said EMS Capt. James Hawley. “Without any hesitation, Marcus jumped in and retrieved that child, and pulled him out of the pool.”

Weekly, a soon-to-be Lyndon B. Johnson High School freshman, said the incident happened quickly, and described the rescue as a reaction. He said he’d never received any formal rescue training.

“That’s a fantastic and heroic act for such a young man,” Hawley said. “It is our pleasure to honor him today.”

After pulling the boy out of the water, medics coached Weekly and other bystanders over the phone to perform CPR on the boy before first responders could get to the pool, Hawley said. They were able to revive the boy.

Weekly was presented with the award at the pool where the rescue unfolded.

“Your actions on that day did save a life,” Hawley said. “On behalf of Austin-Travis County EMS and the community we want to thank you. Well done.”