It wasn’t the 63rd birthday Claudette Lecuyer had in mind, but it will be one she’ll definitely remember. Claudette was driving home from her hospice shift in Sudbury around midnight on December 11 after celebrating her birthday with coworkers. While driving, Claudette suffered a cardiac arrest, veering off the road and hitting a fence.
Best friends Tyler Brouillette, 17, and Levi Owl, 18, were driving home when they noticed the vehicle off the road. They pulled over, rushed to the scene and found Claudette unresponsive and not breathing.
While another bystander called 911, Tyler and Levi immediately responded by placing Claudette on the ground and performed CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) until firefighters arrived on the scene.
Tyler, a student at Lasalle Secondary School, and Levi, a recent graduate of Collège Notre-Dame, were both trained separately in the ACT Foundation’s High School CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator) Program. This training helped them feel confident to act quickly by performing chest compressions on Claudette, which ultimately saved her life.
Claudette woke up in hospital and had no memory of the incident. She has since made a full recovery at home with the help of her family. As a grandmother of nine, she is grateful for Tyler and Levi’s heroic efforts, so she can celebrate many more birthdays with her family and friends.
“It says a lot about the training they’ve had and what this program really does to create strong, courageous kids.”
Jody Cook, Tyler’s mother
Hydro One is deeply committed to the safety of all Ontarians and continues to work with the ACT Foundation to promote safety across the province. Through our partnership, we’re ensuring students are trained to save lives and feel confident in similar emergency situations.
The many benefits of CPR training:
Increases the chance of someone’s survival;
Allows you to notice the signs of cardiac arrest much quicker;
Promotes safety, emergency preparedness, and predisposes people to take charge and act in an emergency;
Empowers people with lifesaving skills they take to their present and future families and communities.
For more information on the ACT Foundation and CPR training, visit www.actfoundation.ca.
