LAFD Rescuers Reunited With 5-Year-Old Boy Who Went Into Cardiac Arrest On School Playground
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A 5-year-old boy Tuesday was reunited with Los Angeles Fire Department rescuers who saved his life after he went into cardiac arrest on a school playground.
KNX 1070's Megan Goldsby reports Elijah Watkins may have found inspiration for his future career in the firefighters and paramedics who saved his life.
LAFD Rescuers Reunited With Boy, 5, After Schoolyard Cardiac Arrest
Emergency response crews were on campus giving demonstrations for Career Day at the 42nd Street School in Los Angeles on May 29 when Watkins went into cardiac arrest during recess.
An employee at the school, Kiara Turner, found Watkins passed out on the playground and immediately called 911.
"When I think back on it, it brings tears to my eyes getting to see him," Turner said.
Within four minutes, eight firefighters were on scene working to revive Watkins, who had stopped breathing, with defibrillator shocks. Crews were eventually able to resuscitate Watkins inside the ambulance.
Watkins' mother, Lottie, offered her heartfelt thanks to the LAFD command staff, firefighters and all those who responded to save her son.
"I would like to just say thank you from the bottom of our hearts," Lottie told all those in attendance at LAFD headquarters downtown.
Watkins, who was released from the hospital on Friday, was also invited to visit the LAFD station near his home in the Crenshaw District for a private ride on one of the engines.
