Teenaged cousin a hero, too

Editor's note: An article that appeared in Saturday's Colusa County Sun-Herald and on its website told a story about a Colusa woman who performed CPR to save a 2-year-old girl's life on July 20. The other half of that heroic tale was about an unidentified 15-year-old cousin who pulled the girl from the pool.

Jessica Cain was enjoying a day at the Colusa community pool with her grandfather and other relatives.

It was a typical July summer day, hot and sunny. At least that is how it started.

"I had my back to the pool talking to my grandfather," said Cain, who lives in Oroville and will be a sophomore at Las Plumas High this fall. She turns 16 in January. "I don't know what made me turn around, but that's when I saw her in the pool."

Cain's 2-year-old cousin, Reanna Hope, was floating face down in the middle pool — only 3 feet at its deepest.

"I jumped in and pulled her out of the pool," Cain said. "I had her in my arms and I started to scream for my grandfather."

Ronald McCray came over and took the girl, whose fingers had turned blue, her complexion was grayish, and set her down on the ground.

Cain remembers thinking, "Oh my God, what do I do; is she alive?"

At that point, Rebecca Molina came over.

She was at the pool with her two young children and wondered what all the commotion was about.

When she saw the little girl, her instincts and first aid training kicked in. She began performing CPR when the girl suddenly spit up some water.

"I just reacted and it came back to me," said Molina, referring to the CPR training she had had years ago.

"My grandfather picked her up and put her over his shoulder so she could spit out more water," Cain recalled.

Paramedics were quickly on the scene and the little girl was taken to Colusa Regional Medical Center.

She was released a couple of hours later, apparently no worse for her near-death experience, and was taken to Molina's home to thank the woman who saved her.

Molina described it as the happiest of endings.

Cain returned home a little shaken, and far from considering herself a hero.

"I don't look at it as being a hero," she said. "I just think of it as helping my cousin."

Cain said she never wants to be in that situation, again, but if she does find herself there, she will be even more prepared.

"My mother is going to have me take CPR classes," said Cain, who had been with her mother when she had been certified as part of her training to work at a preschool.

"I just hope I'm never in that situation, again," Cain said.