After a curious toddler wandered off and fell into a nearby pond, his older brother desperately pulled him out of the water. However, once he realized that the child was unconscious, he knew exactly what he had to do and he took off running.
For nearly a decade, 11-year-old Jayden Groves was an only child. So, when his mother told him that she was expecting his little brother, Josiah, he was elated to share his life with a sibling. From the start, the pair were incredibly close, regardless of the age gap between them.
“Jayden is about to be 12, he’s been the only kid for 11 years,” his mom, Jocelyn Groves, told WMAZ. “When Josiah came, it was some excitement to his life. ‘Yeah, mom, I’m not the only kid anymore.'”
Jayden quickly became Josiah’s protector, forging an almost supernatural bond with his little brother. As such, when 2-year-old Josiah wandered off during a family gathering in St. Louis, Jayden felt that something wasn’t right.
“We were having a family gathering and we were selling food and washing cars and then my brother had wandered off,” Jayden recalled.
As the family celebrated, Jayden realized that he hadn’t seen his little brother in a while. Fearing the worst, the preteen immediately sprinted toward a nearby pond. Incredibly, his instinct was correct, and he spotted the toddler lying face-down in the water. Josiah had fallen into the pond and drowned.
“Immediately nobody was looking by the pond and Jayden just had an instinct,” Jocelyn said. “He ran to the pond and all I remember is a terrifying scream.”
Jayden pulled Josiah out of the water and laid him on the ground. Luckily, his screams notified nearby family members who came to help, one of whom was an aunt who began performing CPR. Of course, Jayden wasn’t about to stand idly by while his brother was fighting for his life.
Jayden took off, sprinting down the street to the local fire station, knowing that they could perform an emergency medical procedure. The quick-thinking boy led them to Josiah. Moments later, an ambulance arrived and rushed the toddler to the hospital, where he received life-saving treatment.
Concerned for his brother, Jayden asked to borrow a relative’s cell phone to call his mother. He simply couldn’t rest until he was certain that Josiah was out of danger.
“He just kept calling and he’s like, ‘Mom, my brother, my brother!'” Jocelyn said. “And I’m like, ‘He’s going to be OK, Jayden. He’s going to be OK.'”
Months later, the city decided to honor Jayden Grove for his bravery. During a public ceremony, Mayor Lyda Krewson and the St. Louis Fire Department presented Jayden with the Fire Department’s Heroism Award for his incredible act of courage.
“It was fun and it felt good,” said a smiling Jayden.
Jayden’s mother knows that Josiah has a life-long protector in his older brother. She hopes to tell Josiah someday about how his older brother saved his life. For now, the toddler is happy just to spend time with his hero.
“Without his help, Josiah might not have made it,” Jocelyn said. “He’s like a real hero.”
Jayden Grove says he is considering becoming a firefighter when he grows up. However, he made it clear that he wants to invest in real estate as soon as possible. He hopes to become successful in order to take care of his loved ones, especially his little brother.
For a parent, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your children love one another. Jayden is undeniably a hero, and hopefully, Josiah will one day understand just how lucky he is to have a big brother like him.
