Five‑year‑old Tyler Nelson is back home and thriving after a near‑drowning scare over Memorial Day weekend — a moment his parents say they will never forget.
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Body camera video from a responding deputy shows off‑duty paramedics and nurses working urgently to revive the child on the pool deck of the Plunge Beach Resort. One rescuer can be seen carrying Tyler toward the ambulance.
This week, Tyler met the people who brought him back to life.
Lt. Jesus Fuentes of Miami‑Dade Fire Rescue said he and others were at the resort with their families when the emergency happened.
“As first responders, we are used to going to these types of calls,” Fuentes said. “But when it hits home, on vacation, with our families, you have to act immediately.”
BSO Fire Rescue paramedic Brody Espinoza began CPR while Fuentes checked repeatedly for a pulse.
“I continued CPR, and he checked every 15 to 20 seconds,” Espinoza said. “As soon as he got a pulse back, I made sure he was breathing on his own and had a good pulse.”
Tyler’s father, Tyonne Nelson, had stepped away briefly to order food, leaving Tyler with adults while keeping an eye on his son from a distance. Then he heard shouting from the pool.
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“The time I’m actually ordering our food, that’s when I heard the noise,” he said. “Worst and best day of my life. Because my baby got saved — but the feeling as a father, as a parent, I am just thankful. Forever thankful.”
Several people at the pool called 911.
“He’s on his back, they are giving him CPR right now — chest compressions, mouth to mouth,” one caller told dispatchers.
Tyler’s mother, Markita Pittman‑Nelson, said she believes divine intervention played a role in the rescue.
“I know God was there because he sent some angels,” she said. “He didn’t just send one — he sent two nurses. He reassured that Tyler’s life was going to be intact.”
Tyler spent just one night in the hospital before returning to his normal routine. He has since graduated from kindergarten and started swimming lessons.
Experts say early swim instruction can be lifesaving. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting lessons around age one to reduce drowning risk.
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