As Published in Community News
Wednesday, January 2, 2008

 

Because of the lifesaving training skills they took and remembered when they needed them the most, Brandon Kirksey and Dorothy Rooks recently earned Lifesaver Awards at a ceremony held by the American Red Cross.

 

The Hazelwood East High School seniors had stopped for a red traffic light when they noticed two people in a parking lot who seemed to be in medical distress. They quickly entered the lot to see how they could help. A woman lay on the ground, unconscious. The two teenagers gave the woman rescue breaths to help her breathe on her own. They lost her pulse twice before administering chest compressions to restart her heart. They stayed with her until paramedics arrived.

"It’s a new experience because it’s not something that you hear about every day,” Rooks said after she received her award. “It’s like the ultimate dream you can ever achieve – saving someone else’s life.”

 

Kirksey was unable to attend the event, so physical education and health teacher, Sue Baervaldt accepted his award to take to him.

 

“I taught the lifesaving course they took,” Baervaldt said. “I’m very proud that they took the initiative to help someone that they didn’t know and they put the skills I taught them to use.”

 

Kirksey and Rooks were two of eight people from around the metropolitan area who were similarly honored. Both students received plaques and gift bags. Hazelwood Central High sophomore Sarah Pilkerton was also invited but she declined to attend, Red Cross representatives said. Pilkerton used cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a neighbor child who suffered a seizure while swimming, saving his life.