Lexington boy, 12, dubbed hometown hero after diving into apartment pool to rescue drowning man

A 12-year-old Lexington boy who saw a man face down in the water at his apartment complex jumped in to pull him from the pool Wednesday night, an action his family described as quick, decisive, and driven by fear of losing someone who needed help. LEX 18 reported that Avory Woolery was outside with his family when he noticed the man in trouble and acted without waiting for others.

According to Woolery’s account, he dove in wearing goggles and flippers he said he borrowed from a friend. He later described feeling nervous about whether he could complete the rescue, but he said the equipment helped him get the man in time. His family also credited the moment for turning what could have become a fatal incident into a survivable one.

LEX 18 reported that Woolery said he had been grilling when he heard his sister call out, prompting him to look over at the pool. The report said Woolery pulled the man to the surface and that someone immediately began CPR while waiting for emergency crews.

The report said paramedics arrived after CPR was started and took over. Woolery’s father, Sean Woolery, described the rescue as a willingness to step in for someone the family did not know, calling it the kind of action he wants children to be able to take in an emergency.

In remarks shared in the LEX 18 report, Avory Woolery said the experience was also a reminder that children should learn how to swim and know how to respond to people in danger. He pointed to the importance of readiness in situations where seconds matter, describing how he moved from seeing the danger to acting on it.

While the reporting focused on the rescue itself and the family’s reflections, no additional public details about the victim’s identity, condition, or charges were included in the provided account. The story highlights a case where community members used immediate first aid steps, including CPR, to bridge the gap until professional help arrived.

Officials and local organizations often emphasize swim-safety training as a way to reduce drownings, and this incident added a personal example for the Lexington area. The next steps in cases like this typically include emergency response documentation and follow-up from relevant property or safety stakeholders, though those specifics were not provided in the LEX 18 report.