I did what every parent should do!

An Albanian immigrant to Greece, Levian Goga, has done an extraordinary act of bravery saving two children from drowning in the Arakthos River, near the village of Neohori, Arta. The event happened on Wednesday at noon, when the children who were swimming were involved in a dangerous situation and began to sink.

According to Greek media, a young man ran into a cafe where Goga was located and sought help with the screams « two children are drowning! » Without wasting time, Goga took the car and went urgently to the river. With the help of locals, he climbed into a boat and jumped into the water. After an intense research, he managed to find one of the children unconscious and with severe signs of drowning, but managed to bring it out alive.

After it was announced that he had another missing child, he was again thrown into the river. After some deep diving, he found the second child lying at the bottom of the river, with blood coming out of his mouth and nose.

In a touching statement to Greek media, Goga said:

I was in the cafe. A motorcycle boy comes and screams ‘help, two children are drowning in the river!’ Without thinking, I ran. I took the car and went. I entered the cane, I didn’t see anything. We boarded a boat with others. I jumped once, nothing. The second time I took a deep breath and dipped about eight meters.

There I saw it. The boy was stretched, immobile, blackened face, hands and feet open. As dead. I grabbed it and hardly pulled it out. Then I heard that they had found the second. I jumped again, two and three times.

I found it with my back at the end. When I pulled it out, my nose and mouth were out of my nose. I was scared. One was the age of my daughter. I don’t care who they are, what race or religion they have. I’m a stranger too, but I’m a man. I did what every parent would do. Only the kids are in my mind. To live. To wake up. Make their lives. I’m sorry. Even my children cry at home. I have to go back…