Off-duty nurse honored for saving 4-year-old boy's life

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (KSAZ) - Shelby Parker says in the blink of an eye her dreamy day by the pool turned into every parent's nightmare.

Seconds was all it took for her 4-year-old son Ryan to almost lose his life.

"He had two friends... and I just shout, 'Where's Ryan?'" she said.

Ryan had wandered a few feet from the kiddie pool to the adult pool.

"I ran straight to the big pool and I found him floating upside down on the stairs," Parker said.

Overwhelmed and panicked, Shelby needed help and that's exactly what came her way. Amanda Smith, a NICU nurse at Honor Health Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, rushed over and performed CPR, saving Ryan's life.

"She's like, 'I'm a nurse!' and she just starts doing chest compressions," Parker said.

Today, her heroic act was honored at the pool where she saved Ryan.

"This is so nice, but so unnecessary," Smith said.

Forever grateful, Shelby says she could never repay Amanda for her help. Amanda says she hopes others will step in and help out if they see someone in danger.

"Just have confidence in giving chest compressions and don't stop," she said.