'They Should Be Recognized As Heroes'
The guys found the 10-year-old boy at the bottom of a pool and rescued him.
But all Melody Covington wants to do right now is thank Todd Hickam and Ryan Thornhill.
"Without them, (my son) wouldn't be here right now."
It's why Melody called KOMO. She wanted us to unite her with the two cable guys who saved her 10-year-old son Jamario from drowning.
They were to meet, but first, let us fill you in on what happened while we were waiting for the reunion.
We learned Jamario's father is in the Army; stationed in Korea since January. From thousands of miles away, he heard about his son.
"My wife was real hysterical at the time," said Larry Covington. "So all she could tell me is that he drowned, I need you to come home now."
On his way home, he heard the rest of the story -- that on Monday, his son fell into a pool. The babysitter thought he was fooling around, but then minutes went by. Fortunately so did Todd Hickam and Ryan Thornhill -- Comcast cable guys in the neighborhood for repairs.
They stopped, saw the boy 8 feet down at the bottom, pulled him out and revived him.
"The things that they do as civilians, that's what they teach us in the military," Larry Covington said. "I wanted to let them know that I'm going to count that blessing everyday that they gave to me and my family and that I'm defending this country for them as well as my family."
The Covington's wanted to tell the cable guys their son's going to be OK. Also, while we were there, doctors removed Jamario's breathing tube. He's breathing on his own. He's going to be all right.
"He gets to finish his life," Melody Covington said. "He's just 10. Now he'll see 20. He'll get married. Maybe he'll go on and save somebody's life."
The two cable guys got didn't get a raise or bonus, they like what they got even more -- priceless gratitude.
"Most definitely, they should be recognized as heroes," Larry Covington said. "They have to."
But Ryan thinks there's more than one hero.
"(Larry)'s a hero to Todd and I," Ryan Thronhill said. "He's over there fighting for our country to protect us so he's a hero to us."
Todd Hickham added: "You're a cable guy and you look a lot like that, then one day, you come to work and the next thing you know ,you're saving a life and cable's just cable. And saving a boy's life -- Of all days I ever worked, this was the greatest day I ever worked."
After the reunion, everyone exchanged phone numbers. Melody and Larry say they want to share their son's life with the pair. Thanks to them, hopefully a very long life.
Jamario isn't speaking yet, but he is moving. He did muster up enough strength to hug his father.
It's the first time they've seen each other in six months.
For More Information:
June. 14, 2005 -- Cable Technicians Rescue Boy From Bottom Of Pool