Deputies Surprise Mother With Sizable Donation For Son With Brain Damage

INDUSTRY (CBSLA.com) — The Industry sheriff's station Monday surprised a mother with more than $5,000 to cover medical expenses for her son who suffered brain damage.

In September 2009, then-2-year-old Jacob had fallen into a pool during a family event, officials said.

"I felt like I didn't protect him as a mother, and it was hard to see my son there lifeless," Stephanie Prado, Jacob's mother, told CBS2's Kristine Lazar.

Deputy Ken Mort responded to the scene and discovered family members were giving him CPR.

"The ambulance was not there yet so the paramedics said we need to roll Jacob to the hospital now," Mort recalled.

Mort immediately transported him in his patrol car to the hospital while a paramedic administered CPR in the back seat.

"I could hear other officers tell him, 'Call time. Call time. Deputy, call time.' And I felt like he tuned everybody out and he was just focused on getting a pulse," Prado said.

Jacob survived the event but sustained severe brain damage. Doctors estimate that Jacob was without oxygen for 15 minutes by the time help arrived. Mort was first on the scene.

Every year on his birthday, Prado contacts Mort to thank him for saving her son.

"I always tell him Jacob's here another day. Thank you," Prado said.

Jacob's family hopes to give him a breathing treatment called hyperbarics oxygen treatment, which focuses on re-sparking damaged brain cells in hopes he can gain head control, body control and work toward walking again.

Industry sheriff's station and the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs surprised Jacob's mother with a check to cover the treatment.

Anyone interested in donating to his family's fund, can visit here.