It's every parent's worst nightmare: losing a child. But for one family, a drowning accident made that almost a reality.

Kent Rilling is originally from Onida, South Dakota. He and his family now live in Salisbury Maryland. A recent family vacation, nearly cost them their son's life.

It was a family vacation to Puerto Rico, to snorkle in the ocean but all it took was a teaspoon of water through the top a snorkle hole to send a little boy to the bottom of the ocean and his family screaming for help.

Kent Rilling says, "I said Anthony, where's Nick. Anthony, Anthony where's Nick. You could just see kind of a gasp on his face."

Five-year old Nick Rilling gave his parents a moment of panic when they realized he was under the ocean water, not breathing. Kent's wife Cynthia and their three other children watched in horror as Kent tried to revive their lifeless brother.

Kent Rilling says, "I had to look up at Anthony and say 'No, he's going to be fine. He's going to be fine,' when in fact my son was dead right there."

Kent is a physician's assistant who's performed CPR a million times before, even on drowning victims but never on his son.

Kent Rilling says, "It's always been somebody else. I couldn't stop it. It was just like a horror movie that kept playing and playing."

But miraculously it did end when Nick came out of his coma just three days later. His family says Nick remembers almost everything, and it's nothing short of a miracle.

Kent Rilling says, "He said God was there and he was underwater and he grabbed my hand."

Kent said this has now left a lasting impact on his family. He says they've slowed down their life and taken extra time for hugs.