What began as a routine morning at the community pool for the Brhel family quickly became every parent’s nightmare.
Madison Brhel, who is described as a lively and curious 3-year-old toddler who loves to explore the world around her, suddenly went limp in her grandmother’s arms on Tuesday morning during a swim lesson.
“She had the look of staring into no man’s land. She wasn’t verbally responding, so I immediately knew something was not right,” Madison’s father, Mike Brhel, said on Wednesday afternoon during a brief phone call with The Signal. “I picked her up and immediately ran to seek help.”
Near the main entrance of the Valencia Meadows community pool, pool manager Joel Fortier didn’t hesitate to begin performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Madison, who began to turn purple due to lack of oxygen, while Mike stood terrified.
“I thought she was literally fading out,” Mike said.
Fortier, an eight-year lifeguard veteran, checked Madison’s vital signs and found she wasn’t breathing and had a weak pulse, he said Thursday.
As Fortier began lifesaving measures, fellow lifeguards Claire Spainhower and Liam Waldman sprang into action. Spainhower called 911, while Waldman stopped the swim lesson and assisted with administering emergency oxygen before the paramedics arrived.
Madison fell into respiratory arrest, which could have quickly turned into cardiac arrest, said Melissa Bhrel, Madison’s mother. Melissa is a registered nurse and was working a shift at a hospital in the Los Angeles area when Madison suffered the medical emergency.
“I’ve helped so many people as a nurse but to be a parent, helplessly trying to get to my daughter, just praying,” she said, recalling the moment her husband notified her of the emergency. “I can’t even describe the feeling.”
According to Melissa, first responders stated that the lifeguards’ quick thinking saved Madison’s life. Madison was transported to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital before being transferred to the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles where she was observed overnight and released on Wednesday.
Madison had no prior health conditions and only had a fever before she became unresponsive that day at the pool. She was completely normal and doctors didn’t find anything abnormal before she was discharged.
On Thursday morning, the Brhel family returned to the community pool for their regularly scheduled swim lesson, filled with gratitude for the three lifeguards who helped save their daughter’s life.
Madison was back to her normal self but skipped out on the swim lesson and rather chose to enjoy some extra strawberry snacks as she shyly hugged Fortier and the two other lifeguards.
“I’m just thankful that she’s OK and that she made it. I think this is a very good teaching moment for not just myself but the entire staff, so I hope that my staff just learns from this and it just really cements that they need to be prepared. Anything can happen at any moment,” Fortier said.
A Canyon High School swim team alum, Fortier has always enjoyed being in the water, which is how he pursued becoming a lifeguard. Although he’s spent nine summers at city pools, he had never performed a rescue like the one on Madison.
“I’ve helped assist in other rescues before, but this is definitely the biggest one that I’ve fully been involved with,” he said, adding that the feeling of being able to save a child’s life was amazing.
“It was such a horrible thing and it was scary having to perform CPR on a 3-year-old, but I’m so happy she’s made a full recovery. As a working lifeguard, I was able to put my skills to good use and save someone’s life,” he said.
City lifeguards complete more than 70 hours of training through the American Red Cross, in addition to monthly training sessions and a pre-service training in which both new and veteran lifeguards practice rescue techniques together, according to Pete McJunkin, aquatics coordinator for the city of Santa Clarita. During the summer, lifeguards also conduct daily rescue drills.
“CPR saves lives. The city trains for all kinds of scenarios with our lifeguards. Most emergencies don’t happen in the water. There are instances like this, of medical emergencies that can happen at any time, anywhere,” McJunkin said.
As the Brhel family thanked the team of lifeguards in person on Thursday at the pool, Madison spent most of the visit shyly in her father’s arms until her big sister was done with her swim lesson.
They then went off into a corner and indulged on strawberry snacks.
“The fear, uncertainty, and heartbreak of those moments are impossible to put into words. Knowing that you were there, that you stepped in immediately and fought for our daughter when we couldn’t, is a gift our family will never be able to repay,” Melissa said as a message to the lifeguards for their heroism. “Because of your training and your teamwork and your willingness to act without hesitation, our little girl has another chance to laugh, play and grow up alongside her brother and sister. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your courage and your professionalism, and your compassion.”
