Share and Follow
Barbara Ribeiro, 94, found a 21-month old baby in the bottom of a backyard pool in 1961.
SAN DIEGO — In 1961, a San Diego mother made headlines when she rescued a drowning baby from the bottom of a backyard pool. In this Zevely Zone, we share the touching reunion between that mother and the baby she saved sixty four years later. “This is an article that was written in The Sentinel,” said 94-year old Barbara Ribeiro. In 1961, she made front page news after rescuing Ben Colwell. She was moments away from reuniting with Ben for the first time in 64 years later. “I’m a little bit nervous,” said Barbara who started crying. “I am a cry baby,” she said.
In 1961, parents at a neighborhood birthday party noticed a 21-month old baby was missing. Barbara was at that party and told us the parents started to panic. “Oh yes, of course,” she said. Walking through Barbara’s front door was now 66-year old Ben Colwell. “Hello, hello young man,” said Barb. “It’s nice to see you,” said Ben. Barb replied, “Yes, it’s been a long time.”
The birthday party was across the street from Ben’s childhood home. In 1961, he wandered away from the party. “Yeah maybe a block,” said Ben. He showed me a map of the Pacific Beach neighborhood. “Walked all the way down here and hung a right and ended up in the pool,” said Ben.
Parents fanned out searching for him. To this day, Barbara’s not sure why she went to that home down the street with a pool. She could have walked to one of a dozen homes but she walked directly to the house where she needed to be. “Yes, like I said it was a mystery what prompted me to go where I did go,” said Barb.
She found Ben at the bottom of the pool. “Scary, frightening,” said Barb. Ben added, “Yeah the only thing that I had ever heard someone say, I think it was my mom, telling me that when you guys found me there wasn’t any bubbles coming up no, so no one knew who how long I had been down there,” said Ben.
Barbara jumped in and pulled Ben out, a neighbor then told her how to perform CPR. “She had me do mouth to mouth resuscitation and it worked,” said Barb. Ben chuckled, “Well, that’s a good thing.” Ben doesn’t remember any of it, but he often reflects on a life he almost didn’t get to live. “When I really think of it, I think hand of God,” said Ben. “He made sure that I made it for some reason.” Ben became a business owner, then a father with two kids. “I have very much been blessed,” said Ben.
The life saving memory still brings Barbara, who is now 94-years old now to tears. “I am sorry,” she said. We told her no one need to apologize for crying especially after saving a life. “Thank you so much for going to look for me,” said Ben. Barb added, “I am glad it turned out the way it did.” Ben then gave her a hug and said, “Me too.”
Ben’s family moved away from Pacific Beach after the near drowning and the two families lost touch. Siblings from both families recently organized the reunion.