Special-needs student saves boy

New American, The, June 26, 2006 by Warren Mass

Ian Madsen, a special-needs student at Milbank High School in Milbank, South Dakota, was in the neighboring city of Aberdeen on May 13, competing in a bowling tournament. Following the tournament, Ian and friends went swimming in a hotel pool. Suddenly, Ian noticed what seemed like a body floating in the water.

As Ian described the incident to reporters from Keloland TV news in Sioux Falls: "I didn't want to see a dead kid on my bowling day and so I picked him up."

The group's chaperone, Lyle Hoeke, told reporters: "It was just nuts in there. There were probably 50 to 60 kids swimming around and Ian all of a sudden comes up with this little guy in his arms."

The "little guy" was a four-year-old boy who wasn't breathing. An Aberdeen man and an off-duty emergency worker gave the boy CPR and revived him within seconds.

Mr. Hoeke told reporters: "Ian was very aware and just sharp.... He knew something was wrong and just picked up the child and set him on the side.... He's a hero in our eyes."