Rockville Centre cub scout saves 4-year-old from drowning

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A Rockville Centre Cub Scout’s courage and skill were put to the test last month.

When Daniel Accomando, 7, was visiting a friend’s home with his parents on the evening of June 1, no one expected he would leave a lifesaver.

Daniel was playing with the hosting family’s 4-year-old son when, suddenly and all at once, a ball was sent to the other side of the in-ground swimming pool, and the 4-year-old fell in trying to retrieve it. Daniel stuck his hand in, grabbed the child by the arm and pulled him out. Though cold in his wet clothes and a bit scared from the experience, the boy was just fine.

“The kids were swimming, it was getting dark,” Daniel’s father, Chris Accomando, recalled. “And they got out and were playing on the grass area. We were sitting 10 feet away, they were kicking ball, it went behind pool, Daniel stopped and the boy fell into the pool.”

By the time the adults stood up, Daniel was reaching in the pool, pulling the boy up by the arm, Accomando recounted.

“We were in shock that he responded so quickly,” he said. “It was a very amazing thing, I’m proud of him.”

Accomando said Cub Scouts has taught his son important life-saving skills that prepared him for a moment like this. In fact, Daniel had just attended a troop meeting at Echo Pool to learn about safety. “They teach him about life saving and looking out for people,” Accomando said.

Though Accomando was at first in shock at the life-saving moment, he said he was not surprised at his son’s actions. “He is always thinking about everyone else before himself,” he said. “He just said that the boy looked scared and he wanted to help him.”