9-Year-Old Boy Saves Baby Sister With CPR

April 19, 2011— -- A 9-year-old boy who saved his baby sister's life after she fell into a swimming pool said he learned CPR from watching television.

Tristin Saghin was visiting his grandmother in Mesa, Arizona, with his family when his 2-year-old sister was found floating in the backyard pool.

"My grandma came in to look for her toothpaste and said, 'Where's the baby?' And my mom went running outside and there she was floating," Tristin told ABC News affiliate ABC15.

While his mother and grandmother called for help, Tristin performed chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on his sister, who was pulled from the pool unconscious and not breathing.

"I just went running outside again, and I did CPR on her," Tristin told ABC15. "I knew what I was doing."

Tristin said that minutes later, his sister started breathing. She is currently recovering in the hospital and, thanks to Tristin, is expected to be fine.

"I couldn't imagine what was going through his mind," said Mesa Fire Department spokesman Capt. Forrest Smith. "Here he is, in a situation where most of us, if we had a family member in that position, as parents we tend to really panic and be concerned. I tell you, we really give kudos out to him."

The near-tragedy was the area's third drowning call in two days. A 3-year-old girl drowned Saturday in a family swimming pool in Mesa, and hours later, a 7-year-old girl drowned in an above-ground pool in South Phoenix. So far this year, Maricopa County has seen 28 drowning calls, 14 of which have been fatal.

CPR Saves Lives

Learning CPR has traditionally been an exhaustive half-day ordeal. But new research suggests a short 60-second training video might be just as effective.

For Tristin, imitating what he had seen on TV was enough. The boy, who is being hailed as a hero, said he would do anything for his sister.

"She's really beautiful and I love her really much," he said.