PALMETTO BAY, Fla. — Eight-year-old Dylan Smith nearly drowned in a pool in June, and on Friday, he was able to celebrate with the heroes who helped save him in Miami-Dade County.

His mother, Tiffany Smith, said Dylan nearly drowned in June while playing with his sister in the pool. They took turns to see who could hold their breath the longest.

“Dylan, being the resilient Dylan he is, pushed it too far and suffered from shallow water blackout,” Smith said.

Lisette Medina, the Smith family’s neighbor, was happy to see Dylan. She provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation before Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel arrived at the pool.

“Thank you, we all bonded,” Medina said during the reunion on Friday.

Smith said Dylan was in the intensive care unit. He also had to work hard during his regular speech and occupational therapy sessions.

“There was a period there where we didn’t know if he would be walking, talking, and things we took for granted,” Smith said. “He is a miracle.”

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