Ten-year-old Theodoros, who nearly drowned at Marathia Beach in Ilia, has been extubated and is communicating with those around him, while doctors report a very good neurological condition.
The boy is being treated in the pediatric intensive care unit at the University Hospital of Patras, where his recovery is described as particularly encouraging.
“The life finally defeats death. We are all very, very happy,” Andreas Iliadis, the intensive care specialist responsible for the unit, told ERTnews.
Iliadis said Theodoros’ progress is particularly encouraging and estimated that he could return to his family very soon.
“They gave us the chance to fight for this child”
Iliadis praised the immediate response of the lifeguard and the first EKAB emergency responders, saying their actions were critical to the boy’s survival.
“What the lifeguard and the first EKAB rescuers did was give us the chance to fight for this child,” he said.
The lifeguard immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation, providing oxygen and performing chest compressions while the boy was unconscious.
“She really gave the kiss of life. She provided the necessary time and oxygen so that there would be no deficit. From that point on, things became easier for us,” Iliadis said.
The rescue chain that saved the boy
The intensive care specialist also highlighted the coordinated response from the beach to the pediatric ICU in Rio, Patras.
After the initial first aid, EKAB rescuers continued CPR. The boy was first taken to Amaliada Hospital and then transferred to Pyrgos Hospital, where doctors and nurses worked for hours to stabilize him before he could be safely transported to the University Hospital of Patras.
“He was not transferred immediately because he first had to be stabilized. The team in Pyrgos did exactly what they had to do. The child arrived intubated, with the catheters and all the support systems, so that he could receive the best possible care,” Iliadis said.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of Friday, August 28, when Theodoros swallowed a large amount of water and lost consciousness under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Video call with the lifeguard
After the boy opened his eyes, one of Iliadis’ first actions was to contact the lifeguard who had provided the initial lifesaving assistance.
“I called her and told her I had a surprise for her. We had a video call and she was very moved,” Iliadis said.
During the call, Theodoros was able to see the lifeguard and thank her.
“I told her that if she saves even one child during her career, it is like saving the whole world,” Iliadis said, again praising her actions.
The boy’s first request after extubation
The child’s recovery was also reflected in his first request after being extubated. According to Iliadis, Theodoros asked to eat kokoretsi, a traditional Greek dish.
“We had chicken, but we presented it to him as kokoretsi,” the doctor said.
The boy remains under medical care at the pediatric intensive care unit, with doctors describing his neurological condition as very good and his overall progress as particularly encouraging.
