Oak Ridge boy recognized as hero after saving sister from drowning

A seven-year-old Oak Ridge boy was recognized as a “true American hero” on Monday for saving the life of his nine-year-old sister in June.

WYSH Radio in Clinton reported that Damien Longmire of Oak Ridge saw his sister Kailyn floating facedown in a swimming pool at their grandmother’s house on June 24. He immediately jumped into the water, swam to Kailyn, and turned her over, WYSH said. When he realized she was not breathing, he called out for help and held her head out of the water.

The children’s great-grandmother then pulled Kailyn out of the pool, and Damien ran inside to call 911 while the grandmother revived the girl, WYSH said.

When paramedics arrived, Kailyn was taken to Methodist Medical Center and then to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where she stayed on a ventilator for the first three days of her week-long stay in the hospital, WYSH said. Kailyn is said to be doing well now, and her mother believes she may have suffered a medical event before the near-drowning incident, the radio station said

The Anderson County Commission on Monday passed a resolution proclaiming Aug. 20 as “Damien Longmire Day.” Damien was recognized for his quick thinking and immediate action, and the resolution calls him a “true American hero,” WYSH said.

This story brought to you through an agreement between Oak Ridge Today and WYSH. See more local news headlines on the WYSH website at http://www.wyshradio.com/local_news.html.