"The little chap hurled himself into the big pool in front of my son and immediately started sinking. He was watching James with his eyes wide open the entire time."
Before Black could react, James had reached out and grabbed the child with one of his arms and was using the other to paddle them both to the side of the pool.
Black said the entire ordeal lasted only seconds.
When he got to the side a man who had also seen what had happened, rushed over and helped the toddler from the pool.
James had returned to what he was doing but the man was not going to let his heroic act go unnoticed.
"He was telling James what he had done was very special and that he had saved a life," Black said.
The man approached media about what had happened but wanted to remain anonymous.
As a treat for what he had done, Black was taking James to see The Lion King.
"The man at the pools said he had a dairy in Whakatāne and, if we were in town, he would shout James some chocolate."
She said James did have a comprehension that he had possibly saved a life.
"He has a big grin on his face now when he's talking about it. And tells me the toddler had already started swallowing water when he got to him."
Whaktāne District Council, which operates the Whakatāne Aquatic Centre, has been approached for comment.
