VIRGINIA BEACH -- A child fell through the ice into freezing cold water in Va. Beach Tuesday.
It was just after 11 a.m. when crews were called to a retention pond on Larissa Court near Indian River Road and Kemps River Drive.
"We were playing around back there, and then [my brother] went on the ice, just to see how far he could get, then he stepped over to the yellow part and he fell in," 15-year-old Christion Jordan described. "And I tried to go get him, and I fell in too."
Jordan says he tried to save his brother, 11-year-old Demetirous Jordan.
"I told him to stay put so he doesn't fall through the ice again," Christion said. "Making sure I die before my brother dies."
Unable to help his little brother out of the water, Christion managed to pull himself out then call for help.
Demetirous said the water was cold and he was scared something was going to pull him under.
"I thought I was going to drown and not live again," he said.
Two neighbors heard the commotion and ran down to the pond to help. One neighbor was trying to throw a rope out to Demetirous, but it was too short. Joe Maggiore put on a wet suit, took the rope and began crawling across the pond towards Demetirous.
"At first he wouldn't hold onto the rope because he was scared or just didn't have enough strength left in him," Maggiore said. "As soon as he was out of the water completely, he was up next to me, and I just slid him across the ice like he was a hockey puck."
Maggiore was glad he was in the right place at the right time.
The boys' mother said she dropped the phone when she got the call and ran out of her house towards the lake.
"I was glad, but I wanted to choke him at the same time because he had no business being on the ice," Valecia Jordan said. "So I was glad he was okay, thankful he was okay"
Jordan, bundled in blankets and trying to warm up inside an EMS vehicle, said he's okay now, but he was scared he would drown.
Fire and EMS personnel were checking the youngsters.
The boys' mother said she was thankful to her neighbors for all they did.
Just yesterday, Va. Beach officials warned about the dangers of going out onto the ice.
