Bernard Biro, Lucia Dell and Laura Biro are all smiles  following a startling ordeal at Beban Pool last September. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Young hero

Nanaimo girl honoured for helping save grandfather’s life

Mar 13, 2024 | 5:40 AM

NANAIMO — A family enjoying an outing at sun-filled Maffeo Sutton Park likely wouldn’t have been possible without the actions of a quick-thinking girl.

Lucia Dell, 7, was at Beban Park Pool with her younger sister, mother and grandfather on Sept. 8 when the groups split up and Bernard Biro decided to swim some laps on an adjacent pool.

Wanting to take advantage of the pool’s river feature, Dell went over to get her grandfather to accompany her.

She noticed his eyes were open underwater, something Biro, 71, made clear he never did in pools due to the irritation caused by chlorine.

Dell, with her goggles on, went into the pool for a closer inspection.

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“I even tried tapping him and tried telling him that he was scaring me. Normally if it was a prank he would just immediately come up, but he didn’t so I knew something was wrong with him, so I told my mom,” Dell said.

Her mother Laura, rushed over to check on her father.

He was floating face down in the water.

She pulled his head up as lifeguards were alerted by a bystander.

Lifeguards began performing CPR for several minutes and also delivered a shock from an on-site AED.

Paramedics arrived and continued CPR until a pulse was registered.

City of Nanaimo lifeguards teamed up with BC Emergency Health Services to attend to Bernard Biro on the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 8 (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Biro was rushed to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and then transferred to Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria where he underwent successful triple-bypass surgery.

Laura Biro clarified on scene that her father had a pair of heart attacks in recent years.

The initial call to 911 from the scene indicated a drowning had occurred.

“That helped the paramedics understand that this was probably not a drowning, this was a cardiac arrest and then they were able to treat him accordingly,” she said.

Beaming with pride for his daughter and granddaughter, Bernard Biro said he’s indebted for the actions her family, lifeguards and medical personnel took that day.

The Penticton man said blood flow to his heart was further stimulated since his sternum was broken during CPR, which the surgeon in Victoria said likely saved his life.

“The full compressions kept the blood going through my system, she said everyone did everything perfectly.”

After watching his grandchildren run around the Maffeo Sutton Park playground on Tuesday, March 12, Biro said he’s blessed to be alive and share more precious memories with family.

“We have a really close relationship and this made it even closer didnt it?”

Lucia Dell, a second grade student at Departure Bay Elementary Eco-School, was awarded a bravery medal from the Lifesaving Society, BC Yukon Branch this past weekend at a formal ceremony in Vancouver.

In October, Dell was the youngest ever recipient of a Vital Link award from BC Emergency Health Services.

“I’m really happy that my grandpa’s here now, I feel really excited,” she said.

RCMP members in traditional red serge uniforms pose with Lucia Dell at Lifesaving Society BC & Yukon Branch’s awards ceremony in Vancouver on Saturday, March 9. (submitted photo)

Lucia Dell takes the stage at Lifesaving Society of BC & Yukon’s awards ceremony on Saturday, March 9 in Vancouver. (Submitted photo)

“I hope this story shows people the importance of water safety,” Laura Biro said. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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ian@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes