JASPER, Texas — In Jasper a 3-year-old boy is alive thanks to CPR training that his mom and aunt took. Now they are encouraging others to learn the lifesaving technique.
3-year-old Landon Fisher's mother and aunt started CPR after he suddenly lost consciousness and stopped breathing. It's a testament to how life-saving training is needed throughout Jasper County.
"I heard him fall off the toilet. I walked down the hallway and found him unresponsive on the bathroom floor," said Landon's mother, Caitlyn Fisher.
When Caitlyn found her son not breathing, she quickly jumped into action
"I did one chest compression and then one breath called 911. I called Shelby, who lives next door. By the time she got there, she told me to move over, and she took over at that point," Caitlyn said.
Tense moments passed.
"I only did chest compressions for three or four minutes, then he gasped for a breath," said Shelby Johnston, Landon's aunt. "He finally started breathing on his own. Then he started messing with his shirt, then I thought 'he's okay!'"
Paramedics arrived soon after and Landon was flown to Texas Children's Hospital and quickly released. Landon's family says doctors believe the toddler suffered a seizure that almost cost him his life.
"If we didn't have the training to do that he may not be with us today," Johnston said.
It was all thanks to past CPR training.
"This is a miracle. The fact that this little boy is back up and running as quickly as he was, that's nothing short of a miracle," said Beech Grove Fire Chief James Gunter.
Gunter also serves as a board member of the Jasper Hospital District. The organization hosts CPR trainings throughout Jasper County for life-and-death situations just like this one.
"The class that Shelby attended was one of the classes that we host. The Jasper Hospital District has a concerted effort underway to train as many people that want to be trained on CPR," Gunter said.
Gunter says this training is vital in rural places like Jasper County. The hospital district is also outfitting more places around the county with automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The machine helps shock a person's heart.
"We've got 40 AEDs distributed at an expense to us of almost $200,000. And it grows. We've ordered 20 more," said Gunter.
It's a small price to pay to save lives like Landon's.
"I don't know if we'd be standing here talking to you, if we didn't do what we did in that point in time," Caitlyn said.
If you're interested in learning CPR, you can find out more information on the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross websites.