Grandma was holding 2-day-old grandson when he started ‘turning blue’ — her instincts immediately kicked in to save his life
Most parents take immense precautions to protect their infant children from catching a cold, stomach aches, and other such ailments, but no one prepares for an extreme condition such as cardiac arrest. When a new grandma from the Lake Tapps area went to visit her daughter and her 2-day-old son, he stopped breathing and turned blue. The grandma, who had training in first aid and CPR, took charge and saved the baby’s life, per the American Red Cross.
May 20, 2024, was a delightful day for Grandma Lisa Courneya while meeting her daughter, Kimberly, who had given birth to her son, Saint, 2 days ago. However, things turned upside down when she noticed that her grandson had stopped breathing and was turning blue. However, she did not panic. She performed CPR on him, as she had completed Red Cross Adult and Pediatric First Aid, CPR, and automatic external defibrillator (AED) training and certification in July 2023. Meanwhile, her daughter called 9-1-1 to report the emergency. She continued performing CPR until the emergency medical services from Seattle Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) arrived.
“He was not breathing, and I knew I had to do CPR and was hoping he would be OK,” Courneya said. “Grandma mode went out the window, I was totally focused on CPR.” With proper care in the ICU, the baby recovered. A situation like this makes us understand the value of keeping calm in a stressful situation and focusing on the solution. “When I completed this training, I never thought I would be using the skills with my own family,” Courneya said about the Red Cross training she completed.
“I am very thankful and grateful I took this training and was there when (my grandson) stopped breathing.” Courneya completed this training and certification during her contribution to the Emergency Management Group in Washington. Within the organization, she often volunteered at community and outdoor athletic events. The calm attitude in such a panicky situation led her to be nominated and receive the Red Cross Lifesaving Award, Certificate of Merit — the highest felicitation for any Red Cross trainee using their skills to save a life.
Her Red Cross instructor, Frank Sebastian, also President of the Emergency Management Group in Washington, nominated her after learning about her heroism. Further, Sebastian was felicitated with the Red Cross Instructor Award for successfully preparing Courneya for emergency preparedness and composure. “Lisa’s quick thinking and decisive action is a compelling testament to the importance of emergency preparedness,” Sebastian told My Northwest. “It highlights how critical training and composure can be in life-threatening situations, not just for medical professionals but for anyone.”
Moreover, 73.4% of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCA) occur in homes or residences, 16.3% in public settings and 10.3% in nursing homes, per CPR & First Aid Emergency Cardiovascular Care. If somebody performs CPR immediately, it can increase the survival chance by double or triple to OCHA. Courneya’s calmness and skills helped save the life of a 2-day-old Saint is beyond commendable.