My brother’s keeper
Tennessee teen saved his sibling from drowning after bizarre wreck
LEXINGTON — On the field, junior Lexington soccer forward AJ Cox could be described as hardworking, a leader and a good teammate. h Off the field, he is being described by his 11-year-old brother Akeem Cox as a hero. h “You saved me,” Akeem told his 16-year old brother AJ, moments after AJ saved him from drowning in a pond last month. h It happened April 20 when AJ was driving Akeem and himself to school. A deer ran across the road and AJ swerved on Corinth Road in an attempt to miss it. Their car went airborne, over a driveway and a fence before stopping in a pond.
“There was a bunch of field area and cows and stuff, so I thought I was just going to go out there,” AJ said. “But when we were airborne and got closer we saw the pond and that's when we knew we were going straight into the pond.
“(The water) was around my knees and leg area . ... Akeem started punching at the door and I luckily got to unbuckle my seat belt to kick the door down, and I thought he was going to come out with me,” AJ said.
Akeem wasn't behind him. When AJ kicked the door open, water quickly filled the car leaving Akeem trapped.
“I looked around and I tried to look down (into the water), but I didn't see nothing moving or trying to get up,” said AJ of the brown water in the pond. “So, I tried to go down real quick but I couldn't do anything, so I went back up and tried to get my breath and went down quickly — I really couldn't get my breath because I was already really tired but I decided to forget about it and go get him.
“I reached in the car — it felt like hours but I hit something and it started moving and it gave me hope
and I grabbed him and I pulled him until he helped me find his way out.”
The pair made it back up to the surface and after catching their breath swam to shore.
The drenched pair shivered and questioned what just happened to them before embracing — realizing just how close they were to never seeing each other again.
“I remember screaming ‘is this a dream’ and I remember Akeem screaming ‘You saved me,’ “AJ said. “It was unbelievable — but we climbed up this hill and then I hugged him because I was glad he was still alive.”
The brothers then walked down the side of the road screaming for help until they were able to flag someone down who then called their parents.
“When he said they were off of Redbud Lake Road (and Corinth Road) — well there’s a ditch there. So, in my opinion I didn’t think much damage could happen,” said Ashaeil Cox, AJ and Akeem’s mother. “I just thought the car would be banged up a little.
“Not enough to do anything major. When I got there they were soaking wet and I asked where the car was and they pointed to the pond. I didn’t expect that part.”
The brothers went to the emergency room where they were checked out. They only had some scratches and bruises. They missed the rest of school that week before they made their return the following Monday.
AJ, who has seven goals and seven assists this season, missed one practice but hasn’t had to miss a game.
Lexington coach Kirk Childers was in disbelief when he heard of AJ’S heroism.
“I couldn’t believe it. He’s in good shape and I think that helped him with holding his breath,” Childers said. “He had to use a lot of energy just to get out of the car, but to do that and then go back under there and not being able to see and find his brother — then pull his brother up too with him probably fighting had to be difficult for him.”
AJ doesn’t consider himself a hero. He was just being an older brother.
“I don’t see it that way,” AJ said. “I’m just glad my brother is alive. I didn’t think I did much — I’m just glad I could save him.”