Mom and 9-year-old son with autism save drowning toddler: ‘I'm just a little helper'

(INSIDE EDITION) - A normal day at the pool turned into a daring rescue when a boy and his mother jumped into action to save a toddler's life.

Surveillance video shows children jumping, swimming and playing in the pool at Lakes at San Marcos Apartments in Tallahassee, Florida, last Saturday evening.

But no one appeared to notice as a 3-year-old boy among them began struggling in the water and started to sink below the surface.

Eventually, Colbi Heard, 9, saw the boy and swam over to help. Colbi, who has autism, picked up the tot and brought him to the closest adult.

"I just wished that he came back up, 'cause it was just a sad moment," Colbi said.

The boy was plucked out of the water and a crowd gathered, with several people around the pool calling for help.

Running from the other side of the pool was Colbi's mother, Severia, who is a nurse and trained in CPR.

"I dropped everything," she said.

After three minutes of resuscitation attempts, the boy regained consciousness.

At first, Severia did not know it was her own son who retrieved the boy from the pool. The duo unknowingly worked together to save the boy's life.

After the incident, Severia informed her son that if it wasn't for him, no one would have known what was happening.

When members of the Leon County Sheriff's Office arrived, the youngster was breathing and crying. He was taken to Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare with fluid in his lungs, but is now doing just fine.

"Makes me feel proud," Colbi said. "I'm a tiny sheriff. I'm just a little helper."

The boy's mother, Latrease Shaw, thanked the mother-son pair in a Facebook post.

"I am so thankful with tears in my eyes how awesome God is he had them on duty that day if you are a believer and a parent you surely will understand my praise," she said.

In return, Heard posted, "Latrease Shaw you are an amazing mother of 4 awesome kids and whatever you need to help you get through this time we are still here for you!!"

Colbi had some wise words of his own to share: "Take care of the people you don't know, but it's always a responsibility if someone doesn't see them, you should just help them even though you don't know them."