Hero dad saves one-year-old daughter from drowning by grabbing her ankle before she falls into pool

Hero dad saves one-year-old daughter from drowning by grabbing her ankle before she falls into pool Keoki Silva says you never know when a peaceful moment can turn into a lifesaving one, after his one-year-old Aria took a tumble as she walked by the pool This is the heart-stopping moment a quick-thinking dad's 'ninja-quick' reflexes could have saved his young daughter from drowning after she toppled into their swimming pool. Keoki Silva, 43, was watching one-year-old Aria playing by the edge of the pool in their home in Bakersfield, California. Then, all of a sudden, the toddler lost her footing and fell headfirst into the water. In a split second, Keoki leapt up and lunged towards the water, grabbing Aria by her ankle and pulled her up. Luckily, his daughter escaped the incident without any injury and was just startled by the cold water. Hero dad Keoki said: "It was pure instinct and adrenaline. The second I saw her falling, I lunged forward, grabbed her securely, and pulled her out safely." He posted a clip of the sudden save on Instagram and said after the incident on May 17 that you need to let kids be kids - and stressed how being on alert is a vital part of parenting. "Things can change in the blink of an eye. My little girl was so excited to be outside, and saying “no” to that face is nearly impossible. The afternoon was calm and perfect — I was glancing at my son on the camera while keeping her in my peripheral vision. "Then she lost her balance and disappeared under the water. Adrenaline hit like lightning. Thank God Dads reflexes are like that of a ninja! In seconds she was safe in my arms. "She held her breath like a champ and didn’t swallow any water. After the initial shock of her very first time fully underwater, she shook it off like it was nothing… and immediately wanted to keep playing by the pool. I believe in letting kids do dangerous things safely [to a reasonable extent]. "The younger they safely experience real-world risks, the more aware and capable they become — so if they’re ever on their own in a tough spot, they’ll know how to handle it. "I know some people will wonder why my young child is close to a pool… but this is exactly why. I’m right there actively supervising and guiding them every time. You never know when a peaceful moment can turn into a lifesaving one."