Dozens of children attend CPR training

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A group of Tampa children learned the life-saving skill of CPR on Tuesday through an event with the American Heart Association.

Everyone who attended heard from a pair of local moms about the way CPR impacted their own families.

More than 100 children listened to these stores of mothers who had sons with experiences needing CPR.

All of the children who learned this life-saving skill got to take a practice doll home with them to continue working on their skills.

Children of all ages gathered around at The Skills Center to learn just know important knowing CPR can be.

“I feel Hezekiah’s loss every day,” Phyllis Walters said. “The loss of his life, I can’t get him back, but I can definitely share his vision and make other people vigilant for their life.”

Walters lost her son, Hezekiah, in 2019 during a football practice.

“My son took his last breath on the football field, in the heat, heat exhaustion, and it’s important for me to bring awareness to youth and parents,” she said.

She said everyone needs to know what to do in case of an emergency.

“Making sure that CPR is in the forefront before they get out there with the sports and panic, not know what to do,” Walters said.

Because of CPR training like the one held on Tuesday, Bismeiry Lantigua said her son Ansel’s life was saved.

“If that happened in my house, maybe we don’t have the lucky story, because I don’t take the class before; and it’s extremely important,” she said.

She said her son collapsed at a track practice earlier this year, and she will forever be grateful for those who were trained to help.

All children attending were taught step-by-step on how to perform CPR if someone at home, or in public, needs it.

“This is not something you do to enjoy, but it’s something you do to keep people alive. The difference between CPR and no CPR is life,” Lantigua said.

According to the American Heart Association, one of the best things to do after leaving a class like this is to go home and share the knowledge with someone else.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.