Never, in his 21 years, did he ever believe that he’d ever become what he calls “that guy.”
That guy others hail as the hero. The one who swoops in to help and does what it takes to save a life.
That guy.
"To hear something like that blows my mind," said Edmiston, a summer camp counselor for the city of Alpharetta. "You don't ever think you are going to be that guy."
When classes resume at Kennesaw State University on Monday, Edmiston will have a harrowing summer camp experience to share with the brothers of Pi Kappa Phi. And this will be no tall tale.
Because of his swift action, summer camper Anna Cuviello, a special needs student at the Cottage School of Roswell, will soon begin ninth grade. She's thankful to be alive, yet uneasy. Not about her near-death experience, but about freshman year.
"I'm kind of nervous," she said. "I always wanted to try out to be a cheerleader."
Their paths crossed at Camp Happy Heart, a respite for students with disabilities where children with autism and hearing impairments enjoy summer fun.
“I have been going to camp since I was 10 years old,” she said. “Just going to the pool and doing arts and crafts ... is fun.”
The college senior joined a team of counselors responsible for about 60 special needs students. The job required them to be caring, patient and certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They trained together in May.
“Our camp counselors watch our kids closely,” said Farrell Garth, program coordinator for the city's parks and recreation department.
It was swim day in late July, and Cuviello wore blue and white. She had a date with a diving board. Her mother, Carol Cuviello, who was going on a day trip with a high school friend, felt secure that her daughter was in good hands. After all, the teen is an experienced competition swimmer with a collection of medals.
"Camp Happy Heart is the most wonderful, loving environment," Carol Cuviello said. "I can't say enough about the camp counselors."
That day, Anna worked on her front flip. Then, the group changed locations.
Suddenly, the 15-year-old froze. She had a seizure and sank to the bottom of the pool in 4 feet of water. Cuviello has a history of seizures. She had brain surgery twice over the years, hoping to alleviate them. But recently, they had come back more randomly than ever.
Then he broke down. “The paramedics said that she was almost gone -- any longer and she would have been dead.”
Doctors thought Cuviello might be hospitalized for several days because of the chemicals in the water she had swallowed, but the teen was rosy-cheeked and eating breakfast the next day. She was discharged from ICU in less than 24 hours, said Carol Cuviello, thankful that Edmiston was there for her child. "She didn't want to miss a day of camp."
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