10-year-old boy credited for saving 17-year-old from almost drowning

A Fourth of July pool party in Etowah nearly turned to tragedy last week.

The Tessneer and Dickens families were guests at a celebration hosted by a mutual friend, but were strangers to each other.

Shortly after hot dogs and burgers were served, and the kids played a game of basketball in an aboveground pool, 10-year-old Xander Tessneer noticed something wasn't right.

"Jake went under and we thought it was a prank," he said. "I went back over there and picked him up, and his face was blue and his lips were blue, and I screamed his lips were blue, and everyone jumped in, and we got him out, and people did CPR."

17-year-old Jacob Dickens remembers only some of the details.

"I went under, and then that was pretty much it," he said. "I woke up on the side of the deck, and I started coughing up blood and stuff."

The families say several guests had medical backgrounds, and immediately began CPR and called 911.

"My son is 17, and it's an aboveground pool, he's always been a good swimmer," said Kellie Dickens, Jacob's mother. "Xander, once he pulled him up, I jumped in the pool to grab him."

She said if it weren't for Xander's initial awareness, the outcome may have been different.

"He is the true hero," she said. "I'm just so thankful that he was aware of his surroundings and noticed that Jake was not resurfacing."

Jacob spent a few days at OU Children's Hospital. His mother said doctors weren't able to say with certainty what might have caused him to go under initially, but that he miraculously does not have any permanent damage.

"Once he became coherent enough to know what had happened, his first question was, 'did anyone get any pictures,'" his mom explained. "And we're all like, 'no, no one took any pictures. We weren't thinking about that at the moment. We were all busy."

Jacob and Xander eventually reunited during Jacob's recovery at OU Children's.

"When we left, he just took this big breath and he was like, 'Mom, I'm so glad he's okay,'" said Xander's mother, Kandice Tessneer. "And I think that's how we all feel. We're just so glad you're okay."

Jacob credits his faith, which he said has been a transformative experience since last week.

"It's a reminder that life's too short, and that I need to be living it to the fullest," he said.

The families recommend that people learn and be prepared to use CPR.