Florida boy, 9, saves father injured in diving accident

PENSACOLA, Fla. — A Florida 9-year-old, with no formal lifeguard training, relied on instincts when he jumped in and pulled his father to safety after a diving accident over the weekend.

Josh Williams dove into water that was more shallow than he expected in the Santa Rosa Sound and broke his neck Saturday. Despite a 100-pound weight difference and no technical swim training, his 9-year-old son Asaih Williams, flipped him over and started pulling him back to shore before bystanders came over to help, the Pensacola News Journal reported.

"All I remember was that he said he broke his neck and he said he was scared," Asaih told the News Journal. "I had a little time limit in my head. If I jump in and the person I'm jumping with in that certain amount of time (doesn't come up), I go after them."

Josh Williams was taken to a hospital and underwent neck surgery, the News Journal reported. He is expected to recover.

“The fact that a 9-year-old thought so fast in thinking, ‘Oh, I gotta help, I’m the only one here to help him.’ He brought him all the way back to shore all by himself,” mother, Audrey Williams said. “He’s daddy’s hero, that’s for sure.”

Cox Media Group