Mother of nearly drowned 6-year-old: This could have been so much worse

ST. ANTHONY –- The mother of a six-year-old boy who nearly drowned this week is issuing a warning to other parents.

“Be aware of how fast the river is – even in the children’s area,” Ashley Wheeler tells EastIdahoNews.com. “This could have been so much worse.”

Wheeler was with her son, Broxton, at the St. Anthony Sand Bar Wednesday when he disappeared under the water at Henry’s Fork of the Snake River.

“I immediately dove in to find him,” Wheeler says. “He was under the water maybe a minute, minute and a half. By the time I got to him, he was completely grey. His lips were blue and his eyes almost looked like glass.”

Wheeler began breathing into Broxton’s mouth as she carried him from the water up to the sand. Rescue crews arrived immediately and administered oxygen.

“The wonderful officers carried him up to the ambulance and they called for a helicopter to fly him to the hospital,” Wheeler recalls. “The EMS workers were able to get him stable on our way to Madison Memorial Hospital so they cancelled air support.”

Broxton has been released from the hospital and Wheeler says he’s back to his usual self although he’s tired and still recovering from the terrifying incident.

“He is still coughing up all the nastiness from the water,” Wheeler says. “He had his second X-rays Friday which show that bacteria from the water is starting to get into his lungs. His doctor put him on a serious antibiotic, steroids and breathing treatments.”

Wheeler’s family is thankful to everyone who helped – from the police dispatchers to deputies to EMT’s and doctors. Broxton even wrote them thank you notes and delivered cookies the day after the accident.

“I will never get his lifeless face out of my mind,” Wheeler says. “I hope no other parent has to go through this.”