One month ago I was tempted to post about the necessity to learn CPR. My father (63) and in good health had an arrythmia which caused his heart to stop. No stroke, No heart attack, it just stopped. A good samaritan saw him fall down and called 911, he immediately administered CPR which turned out to be a life saving event for my dad. He flatlined for 6 minutes before paramedics arrived and needed to be paddled twice before making it to the hospital.

Medical staff later confessed that they did not hold much hope for him to make it, and even less hope that his brain would be undamaged. Against all odds, and the quick action of a samaritan he is physically and mentally fine. Still has pain in his chest from the aggressive CPR but this is obviously a happy side effect of a life saving event.

Never before have I felt so indebted to an absolute stranger which was able to give / keep my family intact. If only I could return such a favour...

I'm an electrician in the film industry which causes me to work odd hours, Friday night was no exception.

At about 3:30 in the morning a fellow crew member pointed out that there appeared to be a fire off in the distance. I observed the glow and soon could see flames. I determined the fire was several blocks away and was able to see flames at least 50 feet in the air. To me it was obvious, with such a large blaze the fire department was obviously there, or would be within moments. After watching for a minute I decided to go and get some pictures / video with my digital camera.

Normally I wouldn't have my camera because I usually only drive my Cayman to work on Fridays and I just happen to keep my camera in my car. As I watched this fire grow I was within a few hundred feet of my car and decided to head over. Myself and a coworker headed over to investigate in my Cayman at top speed.

From the main road where we parked it was a bit of a maze to get to where the fire was, at this point it's me, my coworker Dave, and someone else who parked right next to me - Brian. We navigated through townhouses and through a few yards when we heard the first screams for help! Adrenalin kicked in and we all now started climbing over several fences to get there as fast as we could. The scene was something out of a movie, two houses side by side ablaze, flames 50 feet in the air, and a shower of burning embers raining down on the three of us.

The scream for help was coming from a second floor window. Dave was the first one there and he barely had time to get ready before he caught a 4 year old child that was thrown at him by the mother. We waited a moment as she disappeared into the smoke filled house and out came the face of a 2-3 year old boy, he had obvious signs of smoke inhalation around his nose and mouth, he was also bleeding from his nose. She started lowering him towards us head first and we pleaded for her to turn him around, it was no use and we prepared to catch this young child. Never before in my life was I so nervous/anxious than that moment. One slip and the child would have fallen head first into pavement. Thankfully I caught him (words can't express that feeling).

Next mom started climbing onto the windowsill and looked like she was ready to jump when we yelled at her to wait. Catching a small child is one thing, an adult is something else. Frantically we looked around their yard for something to make a ladder out of, anything at all to help her down. During the first two rescues there had been several explosions at the home next door and the rain of burning embers was getting worse. People from across the alley were yelling at us to get the %@#* out of there because the roof was fully involved and could collapse at any moment. Brian and I yelled at her to start lowering herself, luckily we are both very tall and managed to reach high enough that her feet were able to reach our palms without having to jump. We lowered her to the ground and safety.

Needless to say, it's been one heck of a month and I've learned a few things.
1. We should all learn CPR, you never know when you'll need it.
2. Don't assume the Fire Department / or someone else has responded to an emergency ( I expected to be a looky loo in the crowd)
3. Helping someone when they need it most is profound. I've gone through the emotional rollercoaster from both sides within a month.

I don't really know how to wrap up this story because the feelings are hard to put into words. Pay it forward perhaps, never have I been so grateful to be there to help. I felt blessed when someone was there to help my father a month ago, I felt just as fortunate to have been there in someone else's time of need.
Orson.

What an incredible story. I am glad to hear your father is doing well and congrats on your heroism! I can't imagine the feeling you are experiencing after both those episodes. It is nice to know in these days of constant negativity that there is still greatness occuring around us all the time.

__________________
2006 Cayman S
1973 Datsun 240Z
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/838926 240Z
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2668635 Cayman S

Well done. As much as I am sure you do not want to hear this and do not feel as such, You are a Hero. Well done.

What an amazing story of heroism! My hat's off to you and your friends. I can't even imagine what you're feeling, but that was a wonderful thing you guys did for that lady and her two kids. She'll never forget you. It's nice to know that people in the world really do care. Keep up the good work.

Being you're in the film business, I kept waiting for "how'd you like the script?"

Great job! You and your co-worker deserve a lot of credit. As all have said, a hero.

PS: glad your dad is doing OK. He must be very proud of you.

__________________
Robert

Wow, amazing story, thanks for sharing this with us! The outcome could have turned out to be very good or very bad for these desperate situations. Because of you and people like you, two families are celebrating life.

__________________
2006 Arctic Silver CS, Bi-Xenons, PASM, Sport Chrono, Sport Steering Wheel, Bose, PCM Navigation, Carrera S Wheels, Remus Exhaust

I saw some CNN video yesterday about some children being rescued from burning building and was waiting for you to show up, then CNN showed the bushes the kids got dropped into. Must have been a different story.
On a serious note, you are true form of a hero and deserve a medal, most people would have stood around and watched.

__________________
Dan