PHOENIX (AZ Family) — Arizona’s Family was there for a very special reunion between Phoenix firefighters who saved the life of a 2-year-old girl and the child who nearly drowned in the backyard pool.

Annunziata Newell and her family met for the first time Wednesday and thanked the first responders who brought her back to life.

Firefighters were stunned to see the little girl from a different angle.

The Newell family was taking ready for dinner in februaryjust like any other night when they opened the door around their pool to take out all the food.

But when they tried to gather all the children, they could not find him.

“I went outside and that’s when I found him in the pool,” said his father, Bill Newell. “Absolutely the scariest moment of his life.”

He said firefighters arrived at the scene within minutes.

“I remember them cutting off his clothes and starting to do all the work on him,” Bill said.

This was every parent’s worst nightmare.

When Phoenix firefighters arrived at the hospital, his pulse returned, but two days later he went into septic shock and suffered lung and heart failure.

He was taken to Phoenix Children’s Hospital and spent weeks in intensive care.

“For the next few days, when I closed my eyes, all I saw was her dress and her face in the pool,” Bill said.

A month later, Annunziata went home. This is something many people call a miracle.

“It is so rewarding to be able to see a life where we can make a big difference. This is extremely special,” said Phoenix Fire Capt. Scott Walrath, who responded to the call.

according to Child Safety ZoneThis year, 75 people, including 22 under the age of 12, died in water-related incidents in Maricopa and Pinal counties.

“These are very challenging calls for us,” Walrath said. “Unfortunately, many drownings do not have very positive outcomes.”

These calls can cause great harm to first responders.

But firefighter Anthony Harrison, who was not at the fire station that day for an unrelated reason, felt the call to hop in a truck and help on the call.

“It was a team effort,” Harrison said. “I am a father, it gives me great happiness to see him smiling and running around.”

This is a desire to help the family, for which they will be forever grateful.

“From the fire department to the police to the medical staff at PCH and Valleywise, it took an army of people to get him back to where he excelled. “We can never repay the gift we were given,” Bill said.

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