A toddler whose developmental and motor skills were delayed miraculously started communicating with clear speech. The amazing thing is it happened not after therapies or any other medical interventions, but after a life-threatening drowning experience!

The miracle that is Catalina

The Drowning Incident

The incident happened on a Saturday when Natalie Holiday and her family from West Seattle was in the midst of moving to their new house down the street. Natalie recalled that she went upstairs and came back down with a bad gut feeling.

It turned out her two-year-old daughter Catalina Ackers was able to slip away from their home and ended up in the neighborhood pond.

“Just to see her laying there not moving was, there are no words to see your child like that. Not at all, not at all,” said Natalie.

The first person to see Catalina was actually her 12-year-old brother Ethan, who dove into the pond and carried his sister to the sidewalk. Natalie said Ethan described her sister to be floating face down in the water.

The Neighborhood Pond

Meanwhile, a neighbor named Stephen Schwab heard a kid’s scream – the type which is hearty and not the typical sound that kids make when playing. He immediately rushed into action and asked Ethan to call 911, while he tried to perform first aid measures, including CPR. Despite his intervention, Stephen was only able to trigger a faint pulse.

Soon, the rescuers came and were able to revive Catalina, who spit water and cried afterwards. The real miracle, however, was not the part when the toddler survived.

During Hospitalization

Unbelievable Turn Of Events

Aside from Catalina surviving what might have killed her, another unbelievable thing happened: she started speaking clearly!

“She is speaking clear language, words. So something clicked, her face is the same, but as her mother said, she is a different child,” Natalie said.

Catalina has never spoken a word prior to the incident because of developmental delay so her clear voice resounded like the most beautiful music to her mother. And the first word Catalina spoke after regaining consciousness? “Mommy.”

Catalina at the hospital

According to Natalie, the reason behind the mysterious thing that happened to her daughter does not matter now. The family is just happy for having Catalina back and now, with clear speech.

On Her Way To Recovery

Aside from the amazing event, Catalina was also cleared for discharge from the hospital earlier than expected. Now, the family is planning to meet up with the Seattle Police and their neighbor to extend their gratitude for saving their precious little girl.