10-Year-Old Owatonna Girl Who Nearly Drowned Returns Home
OWATONNA, Minn. (WCCO) -- An Owatonna 10 year old will be sleeping in her own bed for the first time in weeks, after the closest of calls.
Faith Johnson spent the last few weeks at the Mayo Clinic. She was found floating face down in the water and unresponsive on May 22.
It happened on the beach of Lake Kalhmier about an hour south of the cities. It was a peaceful, unseasonably warm day on the beach of the lake.
"All of the sudden it got really serious," Christy Mullerleile said.
Mullerleile was with her son when a woman noticed little Faith floating face down. She says people at the beach assembled immediately. All of a sudden, strangers became partners. A woman started CPR while Mullerleile talked to 911.
"They asked me to look for if she's breathing and she was not. There was no sign of her lungs moving," Mullerleile said. "All of us were just watching her face hoping that she would open her eyes and start breathing."
Paramedics came and Faith was flown to the Mayo Clinic. The good Samaritans stayed behind.
"Several people gathered together on the beach and we just started praying for this little girl and her family to make it," Mullerleile said.
Witnesses say it happened quietly and quickly. Faith had been doing flips in the sand when her lungs filled with sand and debris.
"It was shocking how fast it can happen. And her mom was right there, watching the group of kids," Mullerleile said.
After weeks in the hospital and a week on a ventilator, Faith has bounced back. She's now home with her family.
A horrible story with a wonderful ending.
"It's amazing that she is happy and smiling and pulled through this and it's definitely a miracle, definitely," Mullerleile said.
Via Facebook, the Good Samaritans have reconnected.
The woman who originally found Faith started a GoFundMe to help out her family. Mullerleile and the others are trying to spread the word to help pay the bills.
Faith's mom has been in touch with the woman and tells WCCO she greatly appreciates the support.