Dad Collapses in Front Yard, 4th Grade Son Performs CPR Until Help Arrives
Reading, writing, and arithmetic are certainly important. But one could argue life skills ought to be held as equally important in our schools.
In 2014, Successful Student, a website dedicated to “helping students find the right school and navigate their education,” featured an article entitled “20 Life Skills Not Taught in School.”
The article touched on skills such as cooking, dating relationships and even the Bible. First aid skills were also included on the list.
“Accidents can happen at just about any time,” the article reads. “…being equipped with the knowledge of first response is important to the health and potentially to the life of yourself and loved ones.”
Some high schools offer life-skill-related electives. But what about elementary schools? How young is too young to learn basic first aid and CPR?
Hope Hersey, a wife and mother from New Hampshire, says she thinks CPR should be introduced in all schools beginning in kindergarten.
“I think every school should teach children CPR,” she shared in an interview with WCVB ABC 5. “…from kindergarten up.”
What prompted this woman to speak so strongly on the subject? An incident in her own front yard involving her husband, Mike, and 4th grade son, Landin Colson.
According to WCVB, Landin performed CPR on his father after he collapsed. Hersey ran to dial 911. In the meantime, Landin didn’t hesitate to use a skill he’d learned at Simonds Elementary School.
“I’m like, ‘Dad, stay with me,'” the quick-thinking boy told the news outlet. “I know it’s going to be OK.”
“You’re just going to go to the hospital,” the boy continued. “And I know you’re going to be better someday.”
Thankfully, Landin was right as his father is reportedly expected to recover. As for Landin, he shared his dreams of becoming a first responder one day. “I think I’m a hero,” he said. Can anyone argue with that?
“I have never seen this child as calm and cool and collected,” Hersey shared. “He was far more calm than I was.”
He’s a true hero and we can only guess how grateful his father is for his son’s life-saving actions. We wish him a full recovery from this ordeal.
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