Reunions
Firefighter has touching reunion with kid he helped save 21 years before
Joseph Sandman always hoped to reunite with the boy, who was only 2 when he almost drowned. More than a couple of decades later his wish came true.
Rozzette Cabrera
10.05.21

Not all wishes come true. Those who experience getting their wishes granted can consider themselves lucky.

A group of firefighters from Glendale and Phoenix Fire Departments felt elated when they were told that one of their wishes was granted.

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YouTube Screenshot-12 News

Two decades ago, Joseph Sandman, one of the firefighters, received a call for help. It’s a call that he’ll never forget.

In an interview with AZFamily, he shared:

“Being a paramedic at the time when this happened, I knew how serious it was.”

The call involved a 2-year-old boy who was found at the bottom of his family’s pool.

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YouTube Screenshot-12 News

The father was the one who found Jarrod Dorsey. Right after seeing his baby boy about to lose his life, he immediately started performing CPR and called 911.

The firefighters arrived quickly.

Knowing how bad the kid’s condition was, they went to work right away. They did everything they could to save Jarrod’s life.

With the father’s early action and the team’s quick response, the boy was able to survive.

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YouTube Screenshot-12 News

The event left a mark on the firefighters, particularly Joseph. He had young kids of his own and that made him able to build a connection with the family. He even visited the young boy during his stay in the hospital.

Joseph gave one of his uniform shirts to the family after what happened.

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YouTube Screenshot-12 News

He told Jarrod’s parents that he wanted to see their son again after he was grown up enough to fit in the shirt.

21 years after, his wish came true.

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YouTube Screenshot-12 News

Joseph shared:

“I didn’t think this day would come. I mean I knew you were doing good and stuff, I was always excited to see where you would go in life. And when your mom called, I remembered you like that.”

The reunion was made possible by the crews of both the Glendale and Phoenix Fire Departments.

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YouTube Screenshot-12 News

When they were able to finally see each other again, Joseph brought the notes the family had given them after the incident. Teary-eyed, he shared that the notes have been in his drawer for two decades. He was hoping he’d be able to show them to the family again and that’s exactly what happened during their reunion.

Even though Jarrod doesn’t remember anything from the incident, he’s still thankful.

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YouTube Screenshot-12 News

In the same interview, he said:

“I only recently found out about the shirt and everything. It kind of came unexpected.”

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YouTube Screenshot-12 News

To make the reunion extra special, Jarrod arrived wearing the shirt Joseph gave his family. It was a touching moment for everyone. Even though everything happened two decades ago, the impact of being able to save a young boy’s life is still strong. No one would be able to forget about it anytime soon. It’s a story Jarrod would surely be sharing with others for years to come.

Watch the full story of the touching reunion between the firefighters and the kid they saved below!

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