Boy ‘9-1-1 Hero’ for saving brother’s life

Van Wert independent

ROCKFORD — A Parkway student credited with saving the life of his younger brother, who nearly drowned in a pond near the family’s residence in the Willshire area, was proclaimed a 9-1-1 Hero during a schoolwide assembly Monday at the school.

Jayden Black, 11, was honored by Van Wert County 9-1-1 Coordinator Kim Brandt for his actions on July 31. According to the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Department report on the incident, Jayden and younger brother, Keaton, were swimming in a pond near their home that day while their mother, Kendra, watched.

When Keaton asked for a different life jacket, his mother went to get one nearby. But when she returned, Keaton was nowhere in sight. Both Jayden and his mother searched for Keaton and then Kendra left the pond to call 9-1-1. Jayden continued to search – diving several times before finally locating his brother in approximately eight feet of water. He then pulled his younger brother’s head above water and he and his mother together were able to pull him out of the pond.

Keaton was not breathing at the time and had no heartbeat when emergency first-responders arrived on the scene shortly after the boy was pulled from the water. While he mother assisted the emergency personnel at the scene, Jayden took over the conversation with the 9-1-1 dispatcher. According to the report, Jayden was “very calm and helpful” while answering the dispatcher’s and EMTs’ questions.

“Because of his quick-thinking action and helpful, calm nature on July 31 in what we consider life-saving action, 9-1-1 Coordinator Kim Brandt and the Van Wert County 9-1-1 Board presents a 9-1-1 Hero Medal and t-shirt to Jayden Black, a true Van Wert County 9-1-1 Hero,” was the way a 9-1-1 news release phrased it.

Jayden also received lots of applause from fellow Parkway students, teachers and other school staff for his efforts in saving his brother.