Every Second Counts

Kelvin and Dad

When 63-year-old Mario Cacpal suffered a massive heart attack at home, the quick actions of his grandson likely saved his life until first responders arrived and transported him to PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital.

10-Year-Old Performs Life-Saving CPR After Grandfather Suffers Massive Heart Attack

When 63-year-old Mario Cacpal suffered a massive heart attack at home, the quick actions of his grandson likely saved his life until first responders arrived and transported him to PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital.

Around 4 am, Mario started coughing and complaining of chest pains. His wife tried to alleviate his symptoms by rubbing his chest with White Flower balm (an Asian home remedy) and giving him warm water to drink. When she left for work a few hours later, Mario remained at home with his 10-year-old grandson, Kelvin.

When Mario’s symptoms worsened, Kelvin called his mom who was out at a friend’s house. She wanted to take Mario to urgent care, but he stubbornly refused. About an hour later, Mario collapsed and stopped breathing. Kelvin immediately called 911 while his mom headed home.

“I was scared and nervous but wanted to save my grandpa’s life,” says Kelvin. “The operator told me to put grandpa on his back and put two fingers on his neck to see if there was a pulse. I told them I didn’t feel one. The operator then told me how to put my hands on grandpa’s chest and push down every second to a count of 15 and pause for 5 seconds. The operator told me to keep doing that until the ambulance came to take over.”

Kelvin had never performed CPR before—this was his first time.

The paramedics arrived about five minutes later and continued CPR. They also used a defibrillator to shock Mario’s chest nine times before transporting him to the Emergency Department at PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital. Once there, Mario arrested again and received several additional defibrillations and continued CPR until he was adequately stabilized to be taken to the Cath Lab.

“We took him to the Cath Lab where we opened a 100 percent blocked artery,” explains Guy Mayeda MD, PIH Health cardiologist. “Following the coronary procedure, he was admitted to the intensive care unit still unresponsive and on a ventilator. The intensivist team initiated hypothermia to reduce his body temperature and hopefully reduce the brain injury from his prolonged cardiac arrest.”

Fortunately, everyone’s quick work helped Mario survive.

“Mario was in a prolonged coma but started to wake up three days later and was taken off the respirator on the fifth hospital day,” says Dr. Mayeda. “He is now conversing with his family and continues to make daily improvements in his neurologic function; the heroic efforts of his young grandson, Kelvin, by providing 'bystander CPR,' definitely played a large role in saving his life. Hopefully, this story will inspire more people to learn basic CPR skills and someday save countless more lives!"

For more information on heart care, visit PIHHealth.org/HeartCare