GUILFORD – On Saturday, Aug. 26, a 22-month old child was pulled from a pond by an off-duty sheriff’s deputy and her husband, Debra Ives, 33, and Jerry Ives, 34. The child, named Brady, was not breathing and was unconscious, according to the sheriff’s department. The couple immediately started conducting CPR, said Sheriff Thomas Loughren. “After a few minutes of CPR, the boy coughed up large amounts of water and began breathing on his own,” he said. The Ives where attending a child’s birthday party with their 10-year-old son and 8- year-old daughter. Debra Ives observed an unidentified object in the pond. Debra, Jerry and the uncle of the boy approached the pond’s edge. Immediately after realizing the object was a little boy, Jerry plunged into the water and retrieved the boy. “If it had been a little hazy, I probably never would have seen him,” said Debra. The boy’s skin was blue and his eyes bloodshot, said Loughren. After a few minutes of the couple taking turns doing CPR, “he (the boy) regurgitated water and started to cry,” said Debra. The boy was taken to Chenango Memorial Hospital by ambulance, had a brief fever of 103 and made a complete recovery.

In a press conference Friday, Loughren honored the couple for saving Brady’s life. “I would be remiss if I did not recognize these two individuals for saving Brady’s life. It is a pleasure and privilege to honor Deputy Debra Ives and Jerry Ives for their heroism in saving the life of Brady.” The couple were presented with a Merit Award by Loughren. “It’s like recognizing a miracle,” the sheriff said.