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Thankfully, Fitzgerald was there to spring into action just in time. His father, Tim Fitzgerald, has since said he is proud of his son’s quick thinking.
“I’m glad he was able to sit back and go, ‘OK, wait a minute, something’s going on. There’s not a parent here, I know they’re at least a quarter of a mile away, I need to do something,’” he said.
After dragging out Bostic from the collapsed cave, Fitzgerald performed CPR on the girl before running to his parents for help. His father immediately ran back down to the scene while Bostic’s dad called the emergency services. The paramedics arrived just minutes later, and just in time to save Bostic’s life.
Luckily, Bostic made a quick recovery. When reporters asked her how she felt, she cheerfully replied, “good!”
What made the story even more incredible was that Fitzgerald says he had no previous formal training or experience with CPR. Instead, he claims he picked up the skill from watching his favorite police drama: NCIS.
The local community has since hailed Fitgerald as a local hero. Shortly after the rescue, Bruce Delgado, Marina’s mayor, announced he would be honoring Fitzgerald at the following city council meeting on August 7.
And the recognition did not stop there; Just a few months later, the American Legion of Auxiliary presented Fitzgerald with the National Youth Hero Award. First created by the National Children & Youth Committee, the award aims to recognize individuals under the age of 18 for their “heroism and helpfulness.”
Along with a certificate, the 11-year-old also received a shiny golden medallion with the words ‘Bravery, Courage, Fortitude’ engraved. The honor was bestowed upon Fitgerald by the president of the organization’s local chapter in a ceremony on November 11 that same year. Sherryl Paneck, chairman of Auxiliary Children & Youth, said the honor was extraordinary. “It’s one that the Auxiliary has never awarded before, so it’s a very special award,” Paneck said.