A Florida sheriff’s deputy and a high school track coach’s heroic and quick-thinking actions helped to save a student’s life who unexpectedly collapsed.
Life can dramatically change in an instant and without any notice. A loved one here one minute could be gone the next. Life is a precious gift from God that must be cherished, honored and protected in any and every way imaginable. We never know when we or someone close to us has breathed their last breath.
That was almost the case for a high school student in Florida who almost took his last breaths. Footage from the deputy’s body camera shows the law enforcement official sprinting on a track to a young man who had collapsed.
Immediately after getting to the scene, the deputy gives a woman, track coach Lauren Palek, kneeling next to the student, directions on what actions to take.
“You get the breaths,” Deputy Deena Biland says. “I’ll get the chest, OK?”
Deputy Biland and Lauren start performing the life-saving maneuver, working furiously on the young man who has stopped breathing.
Eventually, all their work paid off as the young man regained a pulse and started breathing once again.
As the video shows, Deputy Biland and Lauren were both able to stay calm despite the intense, life-or-death situation. In an interview following their heroic actions, both pointed to their training in allowing them to remain calm and know what to do.
The video posted on YouTube states that even before the deputy was on the scene, Lauren had started chest compressions.
“I just focused on counting and relying on what I learned in the training, which I think, obviously, was very valuable,” Lauren said.
Amazingly, less than 24 hours after collapsing and having to be revived, the 17-year-old was back up on his feet.
Thank God for the quick-thinking and heroic actions of Deputy Biland and Lauren. They saved a young man’s life!
Proverbs 24:11 “Be the savior of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.”