A TWO-year-old boy brought back to life after a near-drowning is up and running around as if nothing happened, says his father.
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Nicholas Corboy fell into a baby pool at the Moore than Swimming centre in Mason Street, Wangaratta, about 5pm on Thursday.
His mother Annelisa, who had been changing his sibling's nappy when she lost sight of him, dragged him from the water unconscious and not breathing.
She cleared his airways and performed CPR with staff member Lionel Moore as an ambulance headed to the pool.
The toddler had spent about a minute under the water and was taken to hospital after being resuscitated poolside.
Mr Moore sounded emotional as he recalled bringing Nicholas back to life.
“I was dead focused on him – I was oblivious to what was going on around me, my whole attention was there,” he said of performing CPR.
”I've known CPR for approximately 22 years and I've never used it before.
“I think I responded so well because it's ingrained in me.”
Mr Moore said it was hard to describe the feeling of seeing photographs of the two-year-old riding his bike hours after the incident.
“I'm pretty shaken up today about it and when it happened,” he said.
“It's mixed emotions.”
He said adults should know CPR and children should be taught how to swim.
“I think it can save so many lives,” he said.
“Giving a child swimming lessons is a gift that will just keep on giving.
“We’ve had children who have learnt to swim here, aged two and four, who have fallen into water, one out of a boat, the other a reservoir.
“With what they learnt, they got themselves out of the water and their parents put that down to saving their lives.”
Nicholas’ father, former Nationals candidate for Indi Marty Corboy, was relieved after the ordeal.
“He’s walking around like nothing’s happened,” he said of his son.
“Nicholas now has a life ahead of him and as a father I hope he makes the most of it.
“These things are a shock.
“We’ve heard of all the tragedies over the summer break with people drowning.
“I was talking to my wife not two days ago about how many people have drowned and we’re almost in the same situation.
“It can happen to anyone.”
Nicholas, who will start swimming lessons next week, was discharged early Friday morning.
“He’s fine, he’s back to his old self,” Mr Corboy said.
“We don’t know whether he’s tripped or fallen in.
“We’ll never know the full circumstances, but we’ve got him back. He’s still with us, thank God.”
