Firefighter Always Remembers Boy He Helped Rescue & 21 Years Later They Meet Again

Oct 12, 2021 by apost team

Any body of water, but pools especially, can be extremely dangerous for children. One 2-year-old boy nearly drowned to death after he was found at the bottom of his family's pool in July 1998. Fortunately, the boy's father found him before it was too late, and the first responders were able to save his life and rush him to the hospital. The firefighter and boy were then reunited in 2019. 

Jarrod Dorsey was just a toddler when he went through the pool gate in his backyard and fell into the water. By the time his father found him, he had already sunk to the bottom. Jarrod's dad performed CPR immediately and called 911, and the paramedics and firefighters arrived quickly. One of the first responders was Joe Sandman, and the entire experience made a lasting impression on him. 

After Jarrod recovered in the hospital, Sandman reached out to his family and gave them one of his T-Shirts as a memento. He said he wanted to meet Jarrod again when he was old enough to fit into the shirt, and that wish came true after 21 years. The reunion was emotional, and it brought together firefighters from both the Glendale, California, and Phoenix, Arizona fire departments. Sandman worked for Glendale at the time of the accident and currently works in Phoenix.  

Part of the reason the incident had such a strong effect on Sandman was that he also had young children of his own at the time. He held onto a note from Jarrod for over 20 years, and finally, his wish to reunite was granted. Keep reading to hear more about this touching story.

Sandman and Jarrod welcomed film crews to share their story. The station 12News captioned their video on Youtube: "It was a reunion more than two decades in the making. Glendale Firefighters were called to a possible drowning call in July 1998, it touched their lives for forever." 

In the interview, Sandman shared his memories from the ride to the hospital. He said: "I remember on the way in that his pupils were fixed. It was a serious call." The firefighters performed CPR tirelessly until Jarrod was stable, and the first responders credited the boy's father for saving his life as well. 

Sandman never forgot about Jarrod and his family and even visited them while the boy was still in the hospital. He hoped that he would get to reconnect with them again someday. Then, Jarrod's mother called Sandman in 2019 after the boy was grown-up and asked if he would like to meet up with Jarrod and the firefighter enthusiastically agreed. 

Sandman said during the interview:

"I didn't think this day would come. I mean I knew you were doing good and stuff, I was always excited to see where you would go in life. And when your mom called, I remembered you like that."

Jarrod is now studying to become a veterinarian and said he only recently learned the story of his near-death experience. He was wearing the shirt that Sandman gave him 21 years prior to the reunion, and the gesture touched the firefighter's heart. Sandman was grateful for the reunion, and the Dorsey family is forever grateful for his work 21 years ago. 

apost.com

What do you think of this heroic story? Do you have any great reunion stories? Let us know, and be sure to send this along to your friends and family.