A graduation pool party during the summer of 2008 in Fayetteville, Ga., almost turned deadly for five-year-old Josiah Buddha; that is until his friend Haden Stusak saved his life.

Josiah wanted to swim in the deep end with the big kids, so he took off his swimmies and jumped in. Josiah tried to stay afloat but it was too hard for him; he sunk to the bottom. Haden Stusak, just six-years-old, came to the rescue when he saw a shadow at the bottom of the pool. Haden immediately dove in and, using his goggles to see, found Josiah trembling on the pool floor. With Josiah mere moments from death, Haden grabbed his friend with one arm and used his other arm to swim as hard as he could for the surface. Haden screamed, "Josiah drowned."

Safely out of the water, Josiah lay unresponsive for 5 minutes. A guest who was also a nurse administered CPR, and Josiah's life was saved.

Since then, the boys have stayed great friends and see each other several times a week and go to church together.

"Haden and Josiah are both active, funny 6 and 7 year olds who play and have fun together as if nothing ever happened," said Deb Stusak, Haden's mom.

Right after the rescue when people were hailing Haden a hero, Haden just kept saying, "No I'm not. That's what friends do, and Josiah is my friend."
There’s no doubt that Haden, whose father is a firefighter, has some natural instincts when it comes to saving lives, and Firehouse Subs^® is proud to call him our hero. As for the two boys, they share a bond that will last forever.