Teen Springs Into Action After Hearing An Ominous Scream From The Backyard
The nightmare started with an ear-piercing shout. "My bedroom window was open, and I heard this screaming," said Rich Cantolina, patriarch of a household of eight. "It's something that will never leave my body. When I close my eyes sometimes, I hear it." In the moment, he didn't know exactly where — or whom — the shriek had came from. But before he could find out, 13-year-old Griffin Croney had already leaped into action.
"My Worst Fear Finally Realized"
Rich Cantolina (pictured here with 2-year-old Cub) never wanted to look back to the events that transpired in April 2021. His voice cracked as he told reporters, “Yesterday was my worst fear finally realized." And to think earlier that day, he'd been celebrating a birthday.
Rich Cantolina and the Croneys
Rich and his fiancé, Cheri Croney, put together a birthday celebration for their 4-year-old, Oaklyn. The party was simple: the parents and all six of their kids — including Griffin, seen here holding the dog — spent a fun afternoon playing in the backyard pool. As the day wore on, Rich and Cheri realized they were late for an appointment.
Party Can't Stop
Not wanting to be late, Rich and Cheri headed inside to get the family dog ready for his vet appointment. That didn't mean the party needed to stop, however. 17-year-old Olivia (pictured here) volunteered to stay outside and supervise Oaklyn and 8-month-old Owyn, who wanted to keep swimming.
Inside the House
As he went upstairs to his bedroom to change his clothes, Rich noticed two things: two-year-old Cub (left) was sitting on the couch, watching YouTube on a phone. The toddler was right near teenager Griffin Coney (right), who had also kicked back on the couch to enjoy the leisurely day. All was well. And then everything went haywire.
