Spangdahlem Airman helps save drowning child

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Preston Cherry
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

U.S. Air Force Airmen from here and Ramstein Air Base, Germany helped save the life of a two-year-old girl while off-duty at Lake Bostalsee, Germany, Aug. 2, 2020.

Senior Airman Ezekiel Lopez, 52nd Force Support Squadron fitness center journeyman, and Staff Sgt. Corey Drake, 1st Combat Communications client systems technician, Ramstein AB, were both with separate family and friends at Lake Bostalsee when the incident happened.

Drake was with his son in shallow water when he saw something on the surface of the lake in the distance.

“I thought it was an animal,” Drake said. “It was like thirty yards away from me, on the water line. It was pale in color and kept circling and flipping from its belly to its back.”

After seeing an arm and leg, Drake realized it was a child, and a few moments later became concerned when their head never came out of the water. He then took his son and moved in closer.

“It was probably when I got about 10 yards away, that I realized it was a serious issue,” Drake said. “As I got closer to her, she had stopped moving, was face-down, and her limbs were submerged.”

He grabbed the girl in one arm and his son in the other and headed toward the beach screaming for help.

Lopez heard Drake and met him at the shore. Drake handed off the girl and Lopez sprinted to the lifeguard station for help. Once there, Lopez began chest compressions until the German lifeguards obtained the necessary safety equipment. The lifeguards administered CPR for approximately six minutes until she began breathing normally. She was then taken by helicopter to a hospital.

Thanks to the quick actions from Lopez and Drake, the girl has recovered and is healthy.

“We are all extremely proud of SrA Lopez,” said Tech. Sgt. Paul Davis, 52nd FSS fitness center operations manager and supervisor of Lopez. “His actions have been praised by everyone, from his peers to our squadron and group leadership. It’s great to be able to work with a person of his caliber every day.”

The girl’s family, paramedics, and police have all thanked both Airmen for their heroic actions.

Armin Stengel, German police chief in the town of Wadern, near the lake, said the service members did exactly the right thing.