INDIANAPOLIS – Two children’s lives were saved by a woman who saw them nearly drowning in a retention pond on Indianapolis’ west side.
Indianapolis firefighters said a 9-year-old boy went into a neighborhood retention pond around 4 p.m. near Cold Spring Road and Granada Circle but began to drown. His 12-year-old sister, who was also outside, went into the pond to save her brother but could not get him out of the water.
Katarzyna Szurkiewicz said she was at a nearby playground when she heard a girl scream indicating two children were in the pond.
"Saying there is two children drowning in the pond - my heart dropped," said Szurkiewicz. "I saw the bodies was turned face down."
Once close enough, IFD officials said Szurkiewicz, a mother of four and school volunteer, jumped in, fully clothed and grabbed the children.
She turned onto her back, placed the girl onto her chest and turned the boy face up before swimming to shore. Szurkiewicz said once the girl woke up, "she just was screaming 'my brother my brother.'"
A man grabbed the boy and began CPR.
The 12-year-old girl told firefighters her brother went into the water despite her warning not to.
"I don't consider myself as a hero. I did what I could do," said Szurkiewicz.
The children were taken to Riley Children’s Hospital where they remain under observation.
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