Xander Vento, 4-Year-Old Texas Boy Who Saved Girl From Drowning, Taken Off Life Support

Boy, 4, Dies After Saving 3-Year-Old Girl From Drowning
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A 4-year-old Texas boy has died after sacrificing his life to save a little girl from drowning.

When Xander Vento saw a 3-year-old girl struggling in the deep end of a Fort Worth, Texas pool Monday, he held her head up so that she could stay above water, the Associated Press reports. But after becoming exhausted, Xander slipped to the bottom of the pool, lapsed into a coma and was eventually taken to Cook Children’s Medical Center, according to the news outlet.

Xander's mother was at the pool at the time, according to khou.com, but few other details have been released.

The girl Xander saved is in fair condition, but the young hero was taken off life support Thursday, khou.com reports.

“We in some way hope our son’s life serves as an inspiration,” Xander’s parents, Cris and Misty, said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “He was the angel in the pool who sacrificed himself to save another.”

Xander’s parents have decided to donate their son’s organs and friends of the family have set up a fund to help them pay for their medical expenses and other needs. They hope to raise $20,000.

Find out how you can donate to the fund set up in Xander Vento’s memory here.

Click through the slideshow below to read even more incredibly inspiring stories of heroism.
SLIDESHOW:

Kid Heroes
13-Year-Old Steers School Bus Safety(01 of05)
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After a bus driver responsible for 15 middle-school children suffered a medical emergency and lost consciousness, Jeremy Wuitschick grabbed control of the steering wheel and guided the vehicle to safety, KOMO News reports. Read the full story here. (credit:KOMO News)
Dog Saves Baby From Drowning(02 of05)
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When Patricia Drauch found her 14-month-old son, Stanley, floating in the pool in the backyard, her worst fears were relieved, News 8 reports. The family dog, Bear, was balancing the little boy on his back to help keep his head above water. Read the full story here. (credit:News 8)
Kids Warn Worshippers At Sikh Temple Shooting(03 of05)
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When Amanat Singh, 9, and her brother, Abhay Singh, 11, realized the popping sounds they heard outside of their Wisconsin temple belonged to a gun, not fireworks, they quickly raced inside to warn the worshippers, allowing some enough time to take cover, ABC News reports. Read the full story here. (credit:ABC News)
Girl, 10, Translates CPR Instructions To Mom(04 of05)
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When Cynthia Almendarez's baby nephew was having trouble breathing, the 10-year-old calmly called 911 and translated the dispatcher's life-saving CPR instructions into Spanish so that her mother could save the 2-year-old's life, NBC reports. Read the full story here. (credit:NBC News)
Bystanders Save 3 Children After Crash(05 of05)
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After a car plunged down a 10-foot embankment and flipped over, as many as 10 bystanders jumped into the icy Utah river to help save three children, the Associated Press reports. Read the full story here. (credit:KSL)

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