Although many people view Down syndrome as a disabling condition, one young
man has shown that persons with the disability are nonetheless capable of
saving lives.
Some of the most enjoyable activities one may engage in while on vacation
include surfing and water sports. When at the beach, kids frequently engage
in water play since they like it so much. The issue is that the water might
occasionally be erratic. A young individual can be sucked into the center of
a deadly wave in a couple of seconds.
When a 10-year-old girl and her family traveled to Italy for the summer of
2017, they went swimming at Sabaudia Beach. When the calamity hit, her
guardians presumably briefly took their attention away from her.
A fierce current quickly entered and pulled the girl into a powerful
current. The 10-year-old made an effort to resist it, but he was rapidly
losing the battle. Another onlooker observed this while her mother did not.
He was a 17-year-old adolescent named Catoia who had been swimming since he
was three years old. Catoia possessed a number of additional exceptional
qualities.
Due to his early swimming training, Catoia went on to not only take part in
the Special Olympics, but also to have previously won medals. This is as a
result of Catoia's genetic condition, Down syndrome. He determined that he
had to take action anyhow, not letting it in the slightest hinder his
ability to assist someone in need. He instinctively set out to save the
young child from drowning, acting bravely.
There were other people in risk that day in addition to the 10-year-old
girl who was washed away by the waves. The ferocious current had also drawn
in another girl, this one 14 years old. The girls were screaming as they
battled to keep above the water, and Catoia and his father could hear it.
The father and son knew if they didn't act quickly, it would spell tragedy
for the young girls and their families, even though it's generally not a
good idea for bystanders to get involved in such dangerous situations.
Catoia stepped in to assist the girls before a rescue squad could arrive
and start taking action since he was confident in his swimming prowess.
Additionally, he had completed a first aid course where he learnt how to
hold her head securely above the water. Together with his father, who had
also dove into the sea, they were able to safely bring the girls back to
land just before the rescue crews arrived.
His exploits were much praised when they were published in Catoia's native
Italian. At the time, Catoia was honored for his work by Matteo Renzi, the
prime minister of Italy. He declared that the young guy should be celebrated
throughout Italy for standing up for what was right in the face of
opposition. He was then given a commemorative plate, a medal, and the title
of "Solidarity Champion of Italy" by Sports Minister Luca Lotti. Olympic
swimmer Stefano Battistelli and Luca Pancalli, the head of the Italian
Paralympic Committee, also attended the ceremony to pay tribute to
Catoia.
Despite the attention, Catoia insisted that he hasn't changed and that he
will continue with his scouting endeavors and academic studies. He concluded
on an uplifting note by saying that it is his abilities, not his
limitations, that define him.
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