Officer reunites with man he saved from drowning almost 20 years ago

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Columbus Division of Police Facebook page

19 years ago, a 5-year-old boy was rescued from almost drowning at a hotel pool when Officer James Poole Sr. rescued him.

Almost 20 years later and months in the making, 24-year-old Chris Jones, from Columbus, Ohio surprised the officer who saved his life. Officer Poole thought he was being filmed for a story, but that quickly changed when Chris Jones approached the officer with a big hug.

Last month, Jones recognized the name "Officer Poole" on the Columbus Division of Police Facebook page that showed the Community Liaison Officer in a picture with a kid at a community event. Jones wrote on their wall "I think that's the Officer Poole who saved my life."

Jones got in touch with police department and so did Officer Poole both wanting to meet each other after seeing Jones' comment on the Facebook page. Jones also wanted his 5-year-old daughter to meet the man who saved his life.

"Two sergeants who watched the reunion were brought to tears," said Denise Alex-Bouzounis, PIO of the Columbus Police Department, "We put put the good and the bad out on social media. This reunion was just what our community needed."

“I told him that I would have never become a father without his help,” said Jones.