Our Golden Hero: Sadie Saves

My name is Shayna. Today our 4 year old little boy fell into a deep sewage hole while playing with a group of children. Below is the horrific event and the incredible outcome thanks to 12 year old Sadie.

**My eyes were off of him while he was running with other kids for less than 3 minutes. I have NEVER been so afraid in my entire life.

Rowan fell into an unsecured/not bolted down sewer hole today. It was about a 4-5 foot drop into the sewage and I have no idea how far he fell under. He was completely submerged until a little girl (who we recently learned is named Sadie) reached down and pulled his head above the waste and water.

Our 7 year old son, Nolan, ran around the corner and yelled "Mom! Rowan fell into a sewer!!!"

I have never ran so fast. I found my baby with his head being held barely above so he could breathe by a very brave girl. She was scared to death, shaking and screaming and had her body partially down the hole to reach his arm and pull his head above to breathe.

Everything flashed before my eyes. I sprinted and thought I was going to lose my baby boy. Another man, Tim, got there seconds before me and helped pull Sadie and Rowan up and placed him in my arms . Covered in poop and sewage I held him in my lap and we both cried and cried on the grass.

I am shocked and in disbelief and SO thankful that my baby is ok! I can't even describe the horrors that flashed before me as I ran.

My husband came to pick us up. We got home so Rowan and I could bathe/shower to get the waste/feces off of us and head into the Buffalo ER.***

Besides a bruised/swollen cheek and some marks on his arm where she was holding tight as he slipped out of her hand, he is doing great. We need to watch him for signs of aspiration related pneumonia or other bacterial infections.

He is scared, doesn't want us to talk about it at all and asleep next to me in my bed as I type.

PLEASE send prayers to our family. I am shaken. Nolan has bad anxiety and is very and keeps reliving watching Rowan fall in. We need peace and love sent our way.

But this fundraiser is not for Rowan or our family. It is for Sadie.

We learned a few hours after that this little lady we have never met was celebrating her Golden "12th" birthday today! She SAVED our baby's life on her Golden birthday. She is incredible, brave and amazing. We want to be able to raise money to add to a college fund, something special she's always wanted, or anything she wants/needs to daily reminder get that she is absolutely amazing!! We could never repay her for what she did today. She was so worried that she hurt Rowan's arms repeatedly trying to pull him out and we jokingly told her mom later this evening "She could have pulled his arm off for all we care! She saved his life!!"

Apologies if there are lots of grammatical errors. This mama is pretty shaken today. It's one of those crazy things you see on movies and then "BAM"...it happens to your baby.

Please help me in showering our small town GOLDEN BIRTHDAY HERO, Sadie, with lots of love!!!

Thank you!

Shayna and Joe Sykes