Teen saves twin brother with CPR

On a spring day, Kyle, 15, was getting ready for school at home in Moncton, when he and his mom heard a loud noise coming from the bathroom. Kyle and his mother, rushed to the bathroom where they found Kyle’s twin brother, Kolten, collapsed on the floor unconscious and not breathing.

After calling 911, Kyle quickly started the compressions on his brother while his mother remained on the phone with the dispatcher. He continued CPR until the arrival of the paramedics. Kolten was then treated and transported by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to a hospital where he regained consciousness after several days.

Kyle learned CPR at his high school during a physical education class offered by his high teacher, Craig Eagles. “When I found out Kyle saved his brother, I was amazed. I’ve been teaching for 16 years, but CPR is the most rewarding thing I ever taught. It gives you the skills to save a life,” says Kyle’s teacher Craig.

“The Department of Medicine at the Moncton hospital sponsored four local high schools to initiate the ACT program. Amazingly in the first year a 15 year old student, Kyle, used his newly taught CPR skills to save his twin brother,” says Dr. Mary MacSween. “This powerful story was instrumental in convincing the entire physician staff of the hospital to fund an expansion of the initiative to neighbouring rural high schools. Our community is clearly safer due to this remarkable program and we are grateful for the wonderful support of the ACT team in implementing this valuable life skill in our students,” she adds.

The ACT High School CPR & AED program was set up in Moncton High School in Moncton, New Brunswick thanks to the Moncton Hospital Medical Staff Association, New Brunswick EMS and ACT’s national heath partners, AstraZeneca Canada, Pfizer Canada and Sanofi Canada.

The Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation is an award-winning, national charitable organization dedicated to establishing CPR and AED training programs in high schools across Canada. ACT raises funds to donate mannequins and teacher training to schools, and guides schools in program set-up and long-term sustainability. Over 3.2 million youth have been trained in CPR by their teachers through this lifesaving program to date.