10-year-old honored for saving little brother


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MIDVALE — A brave 10-year-old is being recognized for the swift thinking that saved the life of his 5-year-old brother from a near downing.

Max Moffat was honored Tuesday by the Unified Fire Authority for his courage.

On July 18, Heather Moffat was dropping off her son Max at a pool birthday party. She had her 5-year-old son, Miles, with her as well.

“We walked him into the birthday party, and we were just going to say hi and talk to everyone,” she said.

Moffat said Miles wanted to get his feet wet, and she told him it was OK as long as he sat on the pool step.

"Miles had gotten down on his bum and had scooted into the pool, and he just sunk right to the bottom, didn't bobble or anything,” she said, getting very emotional. “He was going to be gone, so quickly because he was under the water.”

Moffat, along with other parents that were at the party, rushed to the pool.

“I couldn’t get out of my chair fast enough,” she said.

But Max was about 10 feet away.

"I just saw my brother, like, sink, and then I rushed over to him, and then I got him,” Max said.

"Max just got to him so quick,” his mother said. “He knew exactly what to do. He just lifted (Miles’) little body up over the water to where he could breathe."

Students high five Max Moffat, 10, as well as his younger brother, Miles Moffat, 5, and mother, Heather Moffat, at Ascent Academy in West Jordan, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014, after the Unified Fire Authority presented Max with an award for saving Miles from drowning last July. (Photo: Michelle Tessier, Deseret News)
Students high five Max Moffat, 10, as well as his younger brother, Miles Moffat, 5, and mother, Heather Moffat, at Ascent Academy in West Jordan, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014, after the Unified Fire Authority presented Max with an award for saving Miles from drowning last July. (Photo: Michelle Tessier, Deseret News)

Moffat said she and her husband had never talked to Max about what to do if he saw a child drowning. The parents at the pool were panicking, but not Max.

“He was calm and cool, and knew what to do,” she said. “It just amazed me that he had gotten there so quickly.”

For his bravery, Max was recognized by the Unified Fire Authority and made an honorary firefighter for the day. He got to ride on the fire truck to school.

“It's exciting for us to be able to recognize everyday heroes, people who are doing things so that we don't have to go on calls,” UFA Battalion Chief Brian Anderston said.

Moffat said this wasn’t the first time Max has saved a child. After the July incident, she learned that a couple weeks earlier, Max helped a toddler who had inverted in a floatation device.

Despite his acts of courage, Max says he wants to be a football player when he grows up, and he's just glad he still has his little brother, Miles, around to practice with to get him ready for his career on the field.

Max was emotional just before the ceremony talking about the events of that day, but he had a great smile when asked how it felt to save his brother.

“Awesome,” he said.

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