CHAPEL HILL, Tenn. (WSMV) – The 5-year-old who obtained his hand caught within the pool earlier this week obtained to satisfy the firefighters who saved him. 5-year-old Leon Johnston, and his household, thanked the Chapel Hill and Franklin firefighters for saving Leon’s life. Leon gave his heroes some paintings and muffins he made.

“Words can’t say how appreciative we are of all you guys and the hard work. It was grueling. I mean 100-degree weather and in that pool,” mentioned Daniel Johnston, Leon’s dad. “As I said to several other people, concrete and PVC can be repaired, but a hand, an arm, or even a life obviously is real tough.”

More than 15 folks labored to rescue Leon after his hand obtained caught in a swimming pool pump. Leon’s mother, Lydia, mentioned she warned him in regards to the suction. His arm obtained sucked in when he held onto the pool wall.

“I had told them to stay away from any holes in the pool because they are dangerous, but he’s five,” Lydia mentioned.

It took hours to free his arm. Leon was counting down these moments.

“180 minutes,” Leon mentioned; that’s how lengthy he was caught. Those minutes felt like an eternity for Leon’s mother.

“It was frightening; all the possibilities of what could happen were going through my mind,” Lydia mentioned; she is simply grateful the primary responders have been capable of drill by way of the pool wall fastidiously and reduce the pool pipe with out hurting Leon.

Lydia can be grateful for everybody who jumped into motion as soon as they heard her cry for assist, together with Leon’s 7-year-old sister, who went to get the keys to turning off the pool’s pump.

Leon says he’s able to get again within the water and swim once more as soon as his neighborhood pool is repaired.

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