A 22-month-old toddler had a brush with death Aug. 13 when he nearly drowned in the family pool but was revived by two members of the Seymour Police Department, who happened to be on a call in the area.

Maddex “Maddie” Elicio, son of Brian and Christeen Elicio of Seymour, was able to get out of the house when the back door was accidentally left opened by older siblings.

“Sgt. Brandon White and Officer Seth Sage were literally next door when Maddie’s sister ran in to tell the family that her little brother was in the pool,” said Jeannette Terry, Maddie’s great-aunt.

“If it weren’t for them, I don’t know what would’ve happened. We got so lucky those two were right there,” Terry said.

White immediately started cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the child and continued it while Sage drove them to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour for advanced treatment.

Maddie later was transferred to Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, Terry said.

“Maddie is stable but has severe brain damage, and right now, there is no FDA-approved treatment to help with that,” Terry said.

Brian and Christeen, however, have been researching hyperbaric oxygen therapy for Maddie.

The experimental treatment has been used in Louisiana with amazing results for a little girl who had an accident very similar to Maddie’s, Terry said.

“They have worked with kids who have gone without oxygen for longer than Maddie and had great results with them, as well, and there is a facility in Ohio that offers the therapy,” Terry said. “Insurance won’t cover the treatments, though, and so we are trying to raise the funds.”

The Cole Center for Healing is a lot closer and a better option the large family because they can make a daily drive there, Christeen said.

“He is physically stable right now. His breathing is fine, and his heart is good, and he had surgery for a G-tube in his stomach this past Tuesday,” Christeen said. “He struggles with coughing up mucus because he doesn’t have a gag reflex right now, and he just has a lot of brain damage.”

The Elicios have five other children to provide for besides Maddie. Their six children are ages 14, 7, 4, 3 and the twins are 22 months, and Maddie is one of the twins.

“He is still in Riley Hospital, and we have a room at the Ronald McDonald House while our kids are staying with family,” Christeen said. “Brian and I come down about every three days to visit with the kids, and once a week, we spend the night with them.”

Right before Maddie’s accident, Christeen had just left her factory job to open a home business, which is now on hold, she said.

“The hyperbaric oxygen treatments for Maddie will cost around $8,000 a month and maybe a little less at the Cincinnati center with Dr. Cole,” she said. “We are told there are two treatments a day, and we’re hoping for at least three months of treatments.”

Some of Maddie’s family is planning an event, Help Maddie Play, to help fund the oxygen treatments he will be receiving.

“This benefit will be an important factor in helping Maddie get well. We are trying to raise $24,000, which would pay for three months,” Terry said. “That’s just for the treatment and doesn’t include travel expenses for the family. We have a GoFundMe page, too.”

The benefit will be from 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 24 at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1925, 311 S. Jackson Park Drive, Seymour.

There will be a 50/50 raffle, a cakewalk, live music provided by Old School Rock Band from Seymour, a silent auction and face painting by members of Fear Fair. There also people dressed as superheroes and fairy princesses and a bean bag toss tournament with boards custom-made especially for the event.

“We will also be selling hamburgers, hot dogs, tamales and chili,” Terry said.

Terry said she and her sister, Shamra Terry, will be approaching area businesses for donations for the silent auction. There will be a $150 cleaning fee for the facility, plus other out-of-pocket expenses to get ready for the benefit.

Christeen and her husband previously had talked about signing their kids up for classes for children who are too young to swim but can learn how to float.

“We never got around to it or this might not have happened,” Christeen said. “I would suggest parents with toddlers take them to get trained as soon as possible.”

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Facebook page: facebook.com/teammaddie17

GoFundMe page: gofundme.com/help-maddex-play-again

To make donations contact:

Shamra Terry: 812-341-0680

Jeannette Terry: 812-216-4991

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