A metro area middle school student has been honored for helping save a life over the summer.
12 year old Preston Caniglia is a sixth-grader at Millard's Anderson Middle School and jumped into action when he noticed a toddler at the bottom of the pool.
On Tuesday he was honored by the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office in front of all his classmates.
"Someone said there's a kid at the bottom of the pool and when I looked down I thought it was my brother then realized it was a three-year-old and my other cousin, and then I guess that adrenaline rush went through me and I swam down and got him," Preston told 6 News.
At that moment, he said, jumping into action came naturally. He wasn't alone. A nurse who was at the party preformed CPR on the toddler. Roxana Francke was right by Preston's side as they received a Civilian Recognition Award.
"What an honor for him to have that and then in front of all his peers, showing how to be a good citizen at such a young age," Francke said.
The Sarpy County Sheriff's Office says the boy was responsive after CPR was performed.
(Photo: 6 News)