Edmonton Teen Went Out for Lunch and Ended Up Saving a Life
When 18-year-old Mahdi went out to buy a sandwich on a recent Friday afternoon, he never imagined he would end up saving someone’s life. But after a young man walked into a local shop behind Mahdi and suddenly collapsed, without hesitation, Mahdi rushed to help.
After quickly assessing the situation and finding the man unresponsive and not breathing, Mahdi immediately began CPR while a woman at the front of the shop called 911.
Mahdi continued CPR until paramedics arrived.
“When the paramedics got there, they thanked me and took him to the hospital,” Mahdi recalled. “Of course, I was a bit shocked, but I was relieved to know he was alive. The time I had spent getting CPR trained finally came into use.”
Mahdi received CPR training in the Emergency Response Career Pathways (ERCP) Program at Centre High Campus (Edmonton Public Schools), which combines hands-on training for students interested in careers in paramedicine, firefighting, and police/security services. He hopes to become a paramedic in the future.
“Our ERCP Program is a great example of our ongoing commitment to supporting students to find their next steps in their careers and lives beyond high school,” says Krista Mulder, Principal of Centre High Campus. “Mahdi’s story is an inspiration of how the real-world training our students receive prepares them to be good citizens in the communities they are a part of.”
After experiencing a real-life emergency firsthand, Mahdi says the importance of CPR training feels even more real to him now.
After this experience, I realize even more how important CPR is. You can help save someone’s life. — Mahdi
The Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation is an award-winning, national charitable organization establishing free CPR and AED training programs in high schools across Canada. The ACT Foundation established the free CPR program in Edmonton and area high schools in the year 2000, with support of community partners through a sustainable model. To date, 185,000 Edmonton students have been trained in CPR, and 7,500 more students are trained by their teachers each year in CPR and how to use an AED.
ACT raises funds to donate mannequins and teacher training to schools, and guides schools in program set up and long-term sustainability. More than 6.6 million youth have been trained in CPR by their teachers across Canada to date and many are saving lives! ACT’s national health partners are Amgen Canada and AstraZeneca Canada.