A Holiday Inn Express maintenance employee is being credited with saving a toddler from drowning in the hotel pool this weekend.

"God put me in the right place at the right time," said Mike Bates.

His shift was over, but since it was a holiday weekend and the hotel was packed, Mike decided to check the pool. That's when he noticed a 2-year-old floating about a foot underwater.

"I just reached down and grabbed him up, put him on my knee, bent him over and a gallon of water came out," Mike said. 

Mike says the boy was limp, almost lifeless, but then he opened his eyes.

"Just a big smile," Mike said. "He looked at me like who are you and thank you, you know. He didn't say nothing."

The boy's family was in the pool but lost track of the toddler. Mike said it was a close call.

"I didn't even meet the mom and dad, but the grandfather was very appreciative," Bates said.

Coworker Theresa Prout said Bates goes out of his way to help people and this time, he saved a young life.

"It doesn't surprise me that he would do something like that," she said. "Not at all."

"The 6-year-old little brother says to me, 'are you the lifeguard?' and I say, I am today and then his sister walked up behind and said 'no, he's the angel today.'"

Bates said he didn't get the family's name, but did find out that they were visiting from South Carolina.