York County, PA– An eighth grade teen at Northeastern Middle School in York County was regarded as a hero after she saved a girl drowning at a school pool.
13-year-old Gracen Garman was at her younger brother’s reading program pool party in early November when she noticed a girl, Rose Plascencia, floating in the pool. At first, she thought Rose was playing.
“I saw Rose and she was bobbing up and down, but some people try to touch the bottom, so I wasn’t worried,” Garman said. “But then I saw her reaching for the side, but she looked like she was sleeping, drowsy, so I put my hand out and she grabbed it.”
Within a minute, Garman pulled Plascencia to safety.
“Her lips were purple and eyes were frozen and staring at me,” Garman told WPMT.
Plascencia was taken to the hospital by ambulance to be monitored and has since recovered. Her mother, Faith, said she cannot thank Garman enough.
“There are good kids out there. Nothing is ever going to be good enough for what that little girl did,” Faith Plascencia said.
“I’m just happy she’s okay,” Gracen said, “Because I just kept thinking what if I wasn’t there at the right time?”
Since the accident, Gracen and Faith Plascencia began encouraging water safety. Plascencia said she hoped to raise money for families to pay for swim lessons.
