Lethbridge boy reunited with first responders who saved him from drowning [Video]

LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. –

A 10-year-old boy from Lethbridge is being praised as a hero after a routine summer outing at the pool nearly turned tragic for his friend.

On July 29, nine-year-old Carter Lam was swimming with his 10-year-old friend Benjamin Nunez at the YMCA when the ordinary day took a life-threatening turn.

“We started to play by the diving boards and (Carter) tried to challenge himself to cross the pool in one breath and he started to swim,” recalled Nunez.

At the time, Nunez got out of the water and was following Carter on the pool deck when he realized his friend was in trouble.

“For a second I thought he was joking, but then I jumped in,” said Nunez. “I tried to tell somebody to help and they blew a whistle and they started to do CPR and all that.”

YMCA Lethbridge lifeguards Michaela McFarlane, Reese Walper and Drew Armener cleared …