It sounds like a superhero origin story – a 10-year-old saved a 2-year-old from drowning at a community pool in Bargersville over the summer.
The Saddle Club North community pool was relatively busy that day. Cori Arkins was at the pool with her three children, including her son, Owen, visiting with two other moms and their kids.
“One of the moms we were visiting has four small children and was dealing with a badly sprained ankle,” Arkins said. “Her youngest, Jack, is 2. Owen was in the pool with his two buddies, and Jack had gotten out and taken his floaty off so he could sit with his mom and have a snack.”
Arkins explained that, without warning, Jack took off running. His mother cried out to try and stop him, but it was too late – Jack jumped out as far as he could into the deep end of the pool, right over Owen and his friends.
Arkins says Owen had been taking swimming lessons earlier in the summer to gain some confidence in the water. “I immediately yelled, ‘Grab him, Owen,’ and I tried to get to the side of the pool as quickly as possible,” she said.
Owen did not hesitate. He swam away from the safety of the pool’s edge and grabbed Jack, getting him above water long enough to take a breath. The swimming lessons had paid off in a big way. “Owen not only swam out to Jack, but grabbed him, got his head above water, and then swam back the couple of feet to the edge where I was standing,” Arkins said. Uninjured, Jack was moved out of the water to safety.
Arkins is proud of her son for keeping calm and not hesitating in a very intense situation, and listening to both her and Jack’s mom as they shouted frantic instructions to save the toddler’s life. “At that age, it’s just not something you see very often,” Arkins said.
Arkins contacted Owen’s swim teacher to share what happened and thank her for profoundly impacting her son. The teacher contacted the Bargersville Fire Department, who recognized Owen’s quick actions with a Town Proclamation and a Bargersville Fire Lifesaving Award.
Heroism runs in the family. His father, Adam Arkins, is a firefighter and member of Indiana Task Force One, a group of first responders who provide on-site aid after natural disasters, including the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Owen also has three uncles who are current or retired firefighters, and another who is a supervisor for Indy EMS Services.
“Owen has a heart of gold like his dad and uncles, and enjoys being helpful to those around him,” Arkins said. “I know he would thrive in public service, but deep down I think he was always worried about whether he would be brave enough to do it. Seeing what he was capable of doing on pure instinct alone has boosted his self-esteem. At the same time, he has been very humble about it.”
Today the Arkins and Jack’s family remain close, with their children often meeting for play dates. Owen is going to play on a travel baseball team this spring.
Swimming lessons for children and adults are available year-round in central Indiana. Data shows the risk of drowning can be reduced by as much as 88% if a child takes formal swimming lessons between the ages of 1 and 4.