One California family is giving extra thanks this year. During their Thanksgiving dinner, a tragedy unfolded in their backyard pool. But a 15-year-old came running to the rescue. Madison Atkinson, a sophomore in high school, turned into a real-life hero. Her 3-year-old niece had wandered away during the family gathering. Somehow the little girl fell into the pool. Kirsten Atkinson, Madison’s mother, recalls the shocking moment when her fiancé discovered Maxine floating and immediately jumped in to retrieve her, yelling for help. 

“He goes outside and immediately sees what he thought was a dog floating in the pool, and quickly realized it was maybe Maxine, and he … jumped in the pool and grabbed her. He was yelling for help,” Atkinson recalled. Madison said she was napping when she woke to all of the yelling. “I saw my step dad holding something. He was like, arched over, and I was trying to assess what was happening,” Madison recalled.

I saw that it was [Maxine], and she was like, not breathing.”

Remaining surprisingly calm, Madison, certified in CPR through a sports medicine class, took charge of the situation. “I just told everyone that I knew CPR, and I just started doing CPR,” she said, adding that the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” played in her mind, guiding the rhythm of her chest compressions.

Madison Atkinson performs CPR on a 3-year-old family member. Photo courtesy of the Atkinson family

Added Atkinson, “We literally turned over the situation to her and we backed up and she walked right into it and kneeled down and immediately started the chest compressions for about two to three minutes.” The family, terrified by the unfolding drama, watched as Madison tirelessly performed CPR for two to three minutes until Maxine started spitting up water.

The transformation from lifeless to breathing was nothing short of miraculous. “Her eyes started to open up and she was like, gasping for air,” she recounted. “And we’re on the phone with 911, and they told us to roll her on her side so she could start breathing again.”

And then as soon as we moved her on her side, she came straight to it.”

Madison’s quick and composed response drew praise from her mother, who expressed being “beyond proud” of her daughter’s actions. In the aftermath, the family installed a pool alarm and committed to learning or refreshing their CPR skills through training.

“We all will be taking classes and getting trained to ensure that we can help someone else and if any of us are ever in a situation [like this], we can be as heroic and helpful as Madison was in that traumatic situation,” Atkinson said. Reflecting on the incident, Madison encourages others, especially teens, not to hesitate in learning lifesaving skills like CPR.

Madison Atkinson, 15, learned CPR this year during a sports medicine elective class. Photo courtesy of the Atkinson family

“Don’t be afraid to ask or tell people that you know how to do that skill in that moment, because it could be worth someone’s life,” she said. The American Heart Association highlights the importance of bystander CPR, stating that only 40% of those who need it receive it. Madison’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the impact individuals can have with the right training, urging everyone to consider learning CPR through virtual or in-person classes. Watch below for a look at the amazing rescue!

Sources: Good Morning America | NBC Los Angeles