Family of boy rescued from sand hole to appear on “Today” show

BREAKING NEWS

The family of a 13-year-old boy who survived suffocating in a sand hole at a Balboa Peninsula beach over the weekend is scheduled to appear on the “Today” show with one of his rescuers Thursday morning, fire department officials said.

Dylan Scott dug a five-foot hole in the sand at 8th Street beach when the walls caved in on him and he was buried. Dylan’s mother and fellow beachgoers scrambled to dig him out of the sand, reaching the top of his head several times only to have the sand continue to refill the hole. When he was finally pulled out, he was unconscious and not breathing.

Lifeguards revived Dylan with oxygen and he was taken to the hospital. Just three hours after the incident, Dylan was released from the hospital without complications.

“Today” show producers called the Newport Beach Fire Department and said they wanted to interview someone who had been at the beach that day. Lifeguard Mike Nichols was patrolling the beach and was one of the first lifeguards on scene, fire department spokeswoman Jennifer Schulz said.

The “Today” show’s producers flew Nichols and the Scott family to New York City, Schulz said.