Ridley honors hero teen who saved friend from pool accident
RIDLEY TOWNSHIP » A 17-year-old Ridley High School senior, who pulled his severely injured friend from a backyard swimming pool and administered lifesaving techniques until paramedics arrived, was honored by the township commissioners with a resolution at their July meeting.
Jack Conant, a township resident and lifelong friend of Thomas Schoettle of Glenolden, saw that Schoettle was in trouble after he dove into the pool.
He got Schoettle out of the water and began giving his CPR and stabilized his friend until paramedics arrived. He rode in the ambulance with Schoettle to the hospital.
“They have been friends since they were in kindergarten together,” said Jack’s mother, Kate, adding that Schoettle is a senior at Bonner-Prendergast Catholic High School in Upper Darby.
Samantha Schoettle, who was at the commissioners meeting for Conant’s presentation, said her son was airlifted to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital after being taken to Crozer-Chester Medical Center immediately after the accident. She said her son suffered a bruised spinal cord and a fractured neck that is being stabilized with screws and rods. He is now in Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation facility with a release date set for Sept. 1.
“He will be taking online courses (when school starts) and we’re hoping he will be back in school by February,” Samantha said. “He’s getting better
(but) he has a lot of rehab. Since this happened he’s decided he wants to be a nurse.”
Samantha Schoettle managed to set up her cell phone so Thomas could watch his friend receive the resolution live. The boys’s dads are Steve Conant and Tom Schoettle.
The resolution presented to the younger Conant reads in part “... The Board of Commissioners of the Township of Ridley do hereby acknowledge, salute and commend Jack Conant for his quick, calm response during an extremely tense situation and applaud his actions in rushing to Thomas’ aid and rendering valuable assistance until medical personnel arrived.”
The resolution is now part of the official minutes of the township.
Conant said he didn’t expect the resolution.
“But it was nice,” he said. “I did just what needed to be done and Thomas would have done the same for me.”