SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - An 18-year-old man reunited with the first responder who saved him from drowning when he was a toddler and told her that he was ready to follow in her footsteps.
The reunion, 15 years in the making, happened at Palmer Trinity School’s Chapel in Southwest Miami-Dade on Thursday.
George Montes Jr. was only 3 years old when he suffered a near-drowning. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units and Police officers responded to the scene.
Among those who responded was firefighter Mary Gavin.
“I remember it as if it was yesterday,” said Gavin.
Gavin said she and her colleagues were on the road when the call came in. They rushed to the scene and quickly pulled Montes out of the water. Responding officers performed CPR.
While Montes was placed in the back of an ambulance and rushed to a nearby hospital, Gavin said he didn’t have a heartbeat, but got it back once at the hospital.
The then-child ultimately recovered from the scare.
“From the police to the fire rescue to Baptist Hospital,” said Gavin of the team effort it took to save Montes’ life.
She said it was a day she’ll never forget.
“When it’s children, babies, they’re the kind of calls that you always remember, because not everyone that we went to homes where the child had been in the pool, survive,” said Gavin.
Looking back, Montes said that day inspired him to walk on a new path, one that will allow him to help save others as well.
“She saved my life, and she’s the whole reason that I want to be a firefighter when I grow up,” said Montes.
During Thursday’s chapel service, Montes read from a script he prepared for a few months. He recognized Gavin’s heroic actions that let him be there to tell his story all these years later.
“I wouldn’t be here up today if it wasn’t for you. Thank you, Ms. Gavin. You saved my life, and I can’t thank you enough,” he said.
He told the crowd he initially believed playing basketball was his purpose. But after several knee injuries, he decided to look beyond the sport.
“I never really started exploring it until all the knee injuries occurred, and I needed to find something other than basketball. So I shifted toward that, I looked into it, and I just fell in love with it,” said Montes.
During that shift, he deepened his relationship with his faith, and ultimately it led him back to the person who saved his life.
Firefighting always stayed on his mind, and he now sees an opportunity to give back to others the way Gavin gave to him.
“You’re never limited to one direction in life. There’s always something else you can explore. You might have more passion towards one thing than another, but be willing to explore another thing,” said Montes.
Montes said he’s already started working toward his goal of becoming a firefighter, including exploring the fire academy.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.