On vacation, Derby police officer helps save 8-year-old boy’s life

Officer Bruce Giovanelli and the boy he saved. Officer Bruce Giovanelli and the boy he saved. Photo: Contributed Photo / Christine Oifer Photo: Contributed Photo / Christine Oifer Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close On vacation, Derby police officer helps save 8-year-old boy’s life 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

DERBY >> A police officer is truly never off duty.

Just ask Officer Bruce Giovanelli, a member of the Derby Police Department, who is being hailed a hero for helping save the life of a child while vacationing in Florida last week.

Giovanelli was at his nephew’s 7th birthday party, where children were splashing around in Giovanelli’s brother in law’s in-ground pool.

In the midst of the celebration, however, an 8-year-old boy fell into the pool and lost consciousness.

Giovanelli, 39, was in the kitchen when he said two mothers ran into the house, saying a boy had drowned and to call 911.

Giovanelli leapt into action.

“I went running out to the pool and observed a boy, named Hudson, laying next to the pool ... and appeared to be lifeless,” said Giovanelli, a father of two daughters. “That’s when panic mode set in for all the parents. Parents were screaming, kids were crying.”

Giovanelli noticed a man kneeling beside Hudson who said he was CPR certified. Giovanelli told the man he was a police officer and trained in CPR, too. He checked the boy for a pulse, but there was none.

“I told the male to start compressions and I will administer breaths,” Giovanelli added. “As he began compressions, I had to inform parents to leave the area, as there were still parents in panic mode because they didn’t know what to do.”

Some four minutes later, which Giovanelli said felt more like “four hours,” he felt a pulse and Hudson began to choke and started to cry a little bit.

Before long, police and paramedics arrived and a LifeStar helicopter landed in the backyard to transport Hudson to Tampa General Hospital.

Giovanelli visited Hudson at the hospital the following day. He was overjoyed to learn that Hudson made a full recovery after the ordeal, and was released later that day.

Giovanelli, who’s been on the Derby police force for seven years, said the moral of this story is to make sure everyone gets CPR certified.

“If you have a wife, husband, family member or friend that is not CPR certified, tell them to do it,” Giovanelli said. “If I did not make the trip to Florida or if that male was not CPR certified, that boy would not be alive today.”

Giovanelli went to Florida after being asked to be godfather to his niece. The baptism was celebrated the day before the birthday party.

As a father himself, Giovanelli said he knows how precious life is.

“As always be safe and get home to your families and hug them,” he said.

Police Chief Gerald Narowski wasn’t surprised by Giovanelli’s heroic actions.

“The fine police officers serving this community know that human life is precious; the life of a child even more so,” said Narowski. “First responders are never truly off duty. I have no doubt in my mind that Bruce’s training kicked in and he never once thought about giving up to save that child! We are very proud of him and his heroic actions. This is truly representative of the caliber of public servants we have in our community. We send our best wishes to the family and wish the child a speedy recovery.”

Mayor Anita Dugatto said Derby is proud to have Giovanelli onboard.

“Officer Bruce Giovanelli’s act shows that his heroism is not limited to his time in uniform,” Dugatto said. “We are incredibly proud to have someone so selfless and brave working as a police officer here in Derby.”

Giovanelli’s mother, Karen, of West Haven, is grateful her son was in the right place at the right time.

“I am so proud of him,” she said. “Bruce has always been so kind, and as he got older knew he wanted to be a police officer. These days I feel like police officers don’t get the recognition they deserve ... and this is a story worth sharing about the good things police do, both on and off duty.”