ST. PETERSBURG - Jim Myers was enjoying an afternoon at the beach just north of North Shore Pool with two of his nieces Thursday when he heard a woman scream.
The woman's 2-year-old niece was floating in the brownish water, face down.
"I dashed into the water and picked her up," said Myers. He said he took maybe 15 or 20 big steps out into the water and brought her back to shore.
The girl was unconscious and had foam around her mouth, Myers said.
Once on land, the girl's aunt performed CPR and Myers called 911 on his cell phone. Another woman at the beach then helped with the CPR. After a few minutes, the girl started vomiting and breathing, and then crying a little, Myers said.
Shortly after, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue members arrived and performed some tests on the girl. "The officer said she was going to be okay," said Myers, who didn't learn the name of the girl or her aunt. Myers said the aunt thanked him.
St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Lt. Rick Feinberg said rescuers took the girl to the emergency room at All Children's Hospital. He was unable to provide the name of the girl or her aunt Thursday evening.
Myers, 41, lives in St. Petersburg and was laid off from his job recently.
"I've never had to run in and pull a child out of the water," he said. "It just took me one second to see it. I said, "That's a child.' And I ran in."
