Boy, 9, survives cardiac arrest thanks to quick-thinking deputy, dispatcher
Boy survives cardiac arrest with aid from deputy, dispatcher
A 9-year-old boy is celebrating the holiday season after a rapid response from law enforcement and emergency dispatchers saved his life during a severe allergic reaction. The child was visiting Central Florida when he went into anaphylactic shock and struggled to breathe.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - A 9-year-old boy is celebrating the holiday season after a rapid response from law enforcement and emergency dispatchers saved his life during a severe allergic reaction.
The child was visiting Central Florida when he went into anaphylactic shock and struggled to breathe.
The backstory:
It was a life-or-death situation that first responders train for but hope they never encounter.
Quick thinking and teamwork turned a medical emergency into a life saved, and the officers involved are now being recognized for their actions.
Just after midnight, on Oct. 12, a mother called 911, saying her 9-year-old son was passing out while struggling to breathe after a severe allergic reaction during a visit to Central Florida.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP
Osceola County Sheriff’s dispatcher Richard Calderale quickly identified the child was in anaphylactic shock and guided the parents through life-saving steps to keep the boy’s airway open until help arrived.
Minutes later, Deputy Michael Romero-Perez arrived at the Davenport vacation home to find the boy unresponsive inside a car and in cardiac arrest. Without hesitation, Romero-Perez performed CPR, applied an AED, and continued emergency measures until paramedics arrived.
SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS
The child was taken to Celebration Hospital and later transferred to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, where doctors said he made a full recovery. Physicians called the outcome remarkable, noting that only about 13% of children who suffer cardiac arrest survive without life-altering complications.
The case highlights how seconds, training, and teamwork can make the difference between life and death.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office.