ONLY ON 3: Teen saves mother’s life using training learned in school

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — A Leland teen saves his mother’s life after she has a severe asthma attack.

Tavis Burckhalter, a senior at North Brunswick High School, said Wednesday morning his mother Anna Burckhalter stopped breathing and became unresponsive.

“I was running late to school, my momma already woke me up said ‘I was running late to school’, but she came about thirty minutes later and she couldn’t really talk, she just kind of banged on the wall,” said Tavis. “I didn’t want to lose my mom I would have done anything.”

“He said what’s wrong and I said I’m really hot. I think you need to call your daddy. I really think you need to go ahead and call 911,” said Anna.

Tavis said she soon stopped breathing and he began CPR.

“She started turning blue, and she just kind of like froze I guess, and she fell, and I caught her,” said Tavis. “I tried to give her CPR and she didn’t breathe for a while, I just kept giving her CPR until she finally took a breathe.”

Emergency crews soon took over. She is now recovering at the New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

“I don’t remember anything until I woke up and I was in a hospital room,” said Anna.

Tavis said he learned CPR in his Junior ROTC training during his sophomore year.

“I just never really thought I would have to use it,” said Tavis.

Colonel Steven Baker, senior army instructor, said CPR training is part of the curriculum.

“Sometimes you don’t know how much they are going to retain in particular with first aid things. In this particular case, it was a victory for us and their family,” said Steven.

Anna said she is ahead of schedule in her recovery and she is expected to be going home this weekend.