Thursday, March 28, 2024

Three Vic High students credited with saving life of young man experiencing overdose

Share

Three students from Victoria High School were honoured last week for helping save the life of a man who was overdosing in one of the school’s bathrooms.

In December 2019, Ahmad Al Shehab, Al Baraa Al Homsi and Majeed Sultan started their school day like every other at Victoria High School.

However, while they were in the bathroom preparing for their day, they heard someone in medical distress in one of the bathroom stalls.

They opened the door and discovered a young man experiencing an opioid overdose.

Al Shehab and Sultan stayed with the man and supported the young man, while Al Homsi ran out of the washroom to notify a teacher.

After calling 911, Vice Principal Chris Koutougos, teachers Niki Lukat and Greg Pitre, with help from the young men, pulled the unconscious man from the bathroom stall and administered CPR long enough to provide naloxone to the man, a drug that counters the effects of an opioid overdose.

Together, they were able to revive the young man who was later transported to hospital by responding BC Emergency Health Services paramedics and made a full recovery.

Police Chief Del Manak and VicPD officers and staff joined Superintendent of School District 61 Shelley Green, and staff from Victoria High School to present the three teens with the VicPD Civic Service award for their life-saving response.

“The care and concern displayed that day by these three students and the actions the school staff took were truly a team effort, which saved of a young man’s life,” Chief Manak said.

“It is my absolute pleasure to present these three young men with our VicPD Civic Service Award.”

All three teens, along with their families, arrived in Canada from Syria within the last five years. “The people of Canada have been good and kind to us,” Al Shehab said.

“We just did what we think everyone should do when someone needs help.”

The teens’ names will be displayed in the hall of honour alongside others who have saved a life in Victoria.

The man who overdosed was not a student of the school at the time, but had been enrolled the previous year.

mm
Victoria Buzz Staffhttps://www.victoriabuzz.com
Your inside source for Greater Victoria happenings. Established in 2012.

Read more

Latest Stories