OREM, Utah -- After saving the life of a child using his CPR skills, an Orem man is working to teach his family and friends, in hopes of saving additional lives.
There was a pounding on the front door of Carlos Rodriguez's home one morning in early October.
"I open the door, and I see a lifeless baby," said Rodriguez.
Carlos says his neighbor was hysterical, pleading for help. She told him she had left her 13 months old son alone in the bathtub for only a moment.
"He was completely lifeless. His body was a different color. He was blue," Rodriguez said. "He had no pulse."
Carlos says, from his doorbell cam, he saw that the mother came from her front door straight to his, passing several other houses, and she says, this was not a coincidence.
"Later I asked her, 'why did you come to my house'," said Rodriguez, "and she said that God guided her here."
Carlos says he acted fast, drawing upon the CPR skills he taught himself when he had his first child.
"I have three little kids," Rodriguez said, "and just to have them lifeless and not know if they’re going to come back, it’s so scary."
After about a minute of CPR, Carlos says the baby took his first breath and has been happy and healthy ever since.
"It was amazing. "It was awesome just to look him in the eye and know that he’s alive," said Rodriguez. "It’s probably one of the greatest moments in my life."
This dramatic incident has now inspired Carlos and 20 of his friends and family members to get CPR certified.
"I think it’s just so important to raise awareness about knowing how to do CPR, because like it happened to me," Rodriguez said, "you just never know when you’re going to be in a position where you have to save a life."
There's a number of places you can get CPR certified including your local Red Cross and the Salt Lake City Fire Department. Classes may also be offered by your employer.
