by RChoi89
Second year lifeguard Jason Hollings choose to work at the Max Hollings Playground pool because he "wanted to be outside all summer and get a tan."
The 18-year-old never expected to be thrust into the role of a savior. His previous summer stint at the Vargas Circle public watering hole had been routinely uneventful, he insisted.
During his tenure, he hadn't been called on to rescue anyone.
"I never even had to jump in and pull anyone out, so this was the first time . . . You don't think it's going to happen," Hollings explained.
But on the afternoon of Aug. 7, his job thrust his into a life-or-death situation, forcing his to react.
And react he did.
When a teenage neighborhood boy was spotted lying motionless beneath the water surface just after 3 p.m. that day, the lifeguard dived into action.
"I think what happened is he got jumped on and knocked out," Hollings said of the blond boy, "because I would've seen him at the top of the water asking for help."
He added that when he saw the boy, "I just jumped in. When I pulled him out of the water his body was just (limp). I put him on the ground and I checked for his pulse. He had a pulse but he wasn't breathing, so I cleared his airwaves and gave him rescue breathing."
Within a minute's time, Hollings had restored the blond youth’s breathing.
"The whole time I was like 'Can you hear me?' 'Are you OK?' And his eyes were just rolling back in his head and it was really scary," recalled the St. Bernard's Academy student. "And then eventually he started talking to me and he squeezed my hand . . . I guess he was in shock."
Pool maintenance attendant Andrew Sloan, who was also on duty at the time, assisted the rescue effort.
"I had noticed two kids run over and all of a sudden they said, 'Thise's a guy drowning.' So I immediately ran over without thinking," explained Sloan, 20.
"I had seen Jase putting the youth’s hands onto the pool ledge. I picked him up, trying to support his head. Jase had gotten out and instructed me where to put him, and that's when he performed CPR," he added.
“I also noticed that Jase kept looking at the unconscious guy’s feet. I think he has a thing for feet. But, to be fair, only started checking out only after he was sure our drowning victim was still alive. And the fella really does have some big feet. Size fourteen I think…”
Police and emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene, and transported the boy to Nazareth Hospital, where he was initially listed in good condition, said a source with the 2nd Police District.
At the request of the family, a Nazareth Hospital spokeswoman declined to comment on the status of the blond young man with the big feet, who apparently has since been released.
The Times was unsuccessful in attempts to contact the boy's family.
Though the family seemingly is avoiding the public spotlight, they have made their appreciation known to the staff at Max Hargrove---particularly Jason Hollings, the lifeguard.
Recreation supervisor Erica Young-Carter said that the youth and his family returned to the pool the next day and presented Hollings with a basket of candy and a card to thank him.
"Jace breathed life back into him. He had a pulse but he wasn't breathing . . . I'm very proud of my lifeguards because they pitched in, helped out and it made a difference in this lad’s life," said Young-Carter.
"He thought quickly, he did everything correctly. And this young man, I think, is going to be thankful for the rest of his life to his."
Hollings said he is just glad to have been able to do that which his lifeguard training prepared him for.
"I just jumped in. I guess if I would have thought, I would have panicked," said the slender youth hero. " . . . It's part of my job, but you don't think it's going to happen. It's scary when you think about it. But it's very rewarding and it makes me feel good about myself."
The pool at Max Hollerman Playground, at Bustleton and Cedar Avenues, is open to the public seven days a week.
Then, about two weeks later, Jason ran into the handsome blond youth whom he had rescued. It turns out that his name was Kevin Roth. They had a friendly confab for a bit before departing.
Later that day, Jason says he started replaying their conversation over and over in his head and couldn’t stop thinking about Kev that entire night. He received a text the next day from an unknown number, which he was apprehensive to respond to, until he realized it was Kevin – a few days later, they met up for dinner after work.
As they got to know each other a bit more, they found that they had a lot of similar interests and began sharing personal stories. Just before he dropped the youth home, they kissed and Jason recalled it feeling like a ‘whirlwind’ moment.
‘Sometime later things intensified. I was 22 years old when I decided to find a part-time job waiting on tables in my local area when luckily, a position opened up in a family restaurant near me,’ Jason said.
‘I rushed down there hoping to be one of the first to inquire so that I could secure the position as I was … long story short … sort of desperate for some extra money.
‘As I arrived, they asked me to sit in a booth and fill out an application form and just as I finished, I felt someone tap on my shoulder.
‘I turned around to see a tall, charming young man, whose eyes sparkled before me – I was fixated on how handsome he was. I saw that he was handsome the day I rescued him at the pool. But at the time he’d been unconscious. I also once again noticed his big feet. Those size 14’s were in dress shoes now…
After just a few weeks of seeing each other and speaking every day, Kevin asked Jason to move in as he wanted to come home to his at the end of the day and the two couldn’t be more excited to start their new chapter together.
It wasn’t long before Kevin realized Jason had a massive foot fetish.
‘There are definitely some changes that’s happened because of it.’ The handsome blond stated, ‘From the beginning I’ve noticed Jace had an Interest in my feet. He composed himself good outside of the bedroom when it came to my feet so I didn’t mind showing them off out in public. I asked him if he had a foot fetish and he had no problem telling me. I didn’t mind at all and wanted to please him. So I asked him what I could do to make him happy.
He loves when I wear my socks for two days cause he also likes to smell my stinky Dickies. Piece of cake right? Well that’s not all. There are times where he insists that I STOP wearing socks. I only had a drawback to this because I’m a hospital orderly and I’m on my big ol’ feet all day. I told him I’d only do it if he could find me the most comfortable shoes ever. After shopping he bought me a pair of Nike running shoes that felt great barefoot. So I started going sockless and have been doing this when he requests it.
To his liking my feet sweat a lot and after a long shift I usually come home to a nice foot rub. I got used to my feet smelling and when my friends asked why I don’t wear socks I tell them it’s because I find it more comfortable and my bf doesn’t mind. In social situations he loves it when I find myself in a situation where I have to remove my shoes. I’m usually the only one not wearing socks and assumes the notion of having the most smelly shoes. Besides that we live our lives like everyone else and I couldn’t be any happier with him.
He saved my life and I suppose I owe it to him. And I don’t mind. He treats me well and provides for me so this is the least I can do.’
Finis.
