11-Year-Old Boy Dives into Pool to Save Drowning Man

An 11-year-old Kentucky boy is being praised as a hometown hero after he jumped into a swimming pool and rescued an unconscious man when no one else appeared willing to act.

Avory Woolery was at an apartment complex pool in Lexington around 8 p.m. Wednesday when he noticed a man submerged beneath the water, according to local outlet WKYT.

The boy said the man appeared to be unconscious and was “almost shaking” underwater.

That was when Avory realized someone had to step in.

“I was like, somebody’s gotta do something,” he told the outlet. “No one was doing anything, so I put on my goggles. I went underwater. I grabbed him up.”

Avory said his adrenaline immediately took over.

“There was no way that I was going to let another man die today,” he said. “He’s a human being. He should be treated as such.”

Another person at the pool helped Avory pull the man from the water and onto the deck.

Once the victim was out of the pool, efforts to save his life continued while someone called 911.

“His friend, I believe, put him on the floor and started doing CPR on him to try and save him the best he could, until somebody called 911,” Avory recalled.

Emergency crews soon arrived and rushed the man to a hospital in serious condition, according to the Lexington Fire Department.

Officials did not release details about the man’s injuries, and his condition as of Friday remained unknown.

The fire department did not immediately respond to additional requests for information.

News of Avory’s quick thinking and bravery spread across social media, where viewers flooded the young rescuer with praise.

“What a very brave young man!” one person wrote.

“This young man is truly a hero!” another commenter said.

“Good job Avory! You are definitely a hero!” a third added.

Avory’s family could not immediately be reached for comment.