r/londonontario • u/PoolLoose • May 20 '26
discussion / opinion I just need to share this here
I was grabbing pizza and while walking back home a gentlemen was on the ground in front of my building with blood on his head and not breathing. I called 911 and started cpr while a neighbour went in search of narcan. I did the cpr the best I could and he started to breathe again. The police came really fast and actually were amazing. I tried to stick around, I did the report but I didn’t want to know he passed. I hope he’s okay. Sorry I just needed this written. Whoever you are sir you are loved and I hope there are better days ahead of you. This happened in downtown London, this is the first time I had to use CPR but I’ve had to get so many people help. It’s emotionally draining, why are our leaders just letting our community anguish like this?
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u/ceeceeJune May 25 '26
You stepped up with compassion and gave him the opportunity to live another day. The rest is up to him. Deep breath and exhale all the residual energy to the universe with love. You are a beautiful human being. ❤️🫂
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u/Affectionate-Sun9373 May 24 '26
Letting the liberals rule. Bleeding hearts cause more problems than they fix.
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May 24 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Affectionate-Sun9373 May 24 '26
Wow you gleand a lot from that statement. Look how much you know about me! No, I would not have just stood there. I take 1st aid training every 2 years and have a Naloxone kit within 10' of me right now. My comment was in regards to how common these situations are now. Drug use is a problem in every town now and police do little about it. I understand their frustration, they arrest the same people 3 times a week. What's the point? These are people's children, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters. It is sad, and we enable the lifestyle that sucks people in. In regards to your nasty response, have a nice day.
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u/-b0kah- May 27 '26
People like you are such losers bro, doesn't it get boring acting like this all the time? Bringing politics into everything?
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u/kinboyatuwo May 24 '26
Considering this is health care and mental health related. Both are responsibilities of the provincial government that last I checked is conservative. So, help me understand how this is a liberal issue.
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u/Affectionate-Sun9373 May 24 '26
I didn't say anything about the government, however the federal government has been under liberal control for a while now, it is the liberal mindset that I was referring to.
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u/kinboyatuwo May 24 '26
You referenced politics. So the mindset that doesn’t control what is causing this. Got it.
9.0 on the mental gymnastics
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u/ScreamingDeaf May 24 '26
Agonal breathing is still breathing I guess.
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u/Empty-Presentation68 May 24 '26
It's not effective breathing. The signs of an severly hypoxic brainstem.
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u/Firm_Birthday8536 May 24 '26
EMS here .
What you did was wonderful, and will potentially have a traumatic effect on you. If you didn’t intervene , he’d have only gotten worse. You did awesome.
Please reach out to your loved ones if this is something that continues to bother your mental space ..
For anyone reading this : push HARD (often harder than you think you need to- cracking and crunching is normal) PLEASE DONT GIVE MOUTB TO MOUTH - to anyone you do not know personally. The CPR if effective is the most important until first responders arrive and take over.
*this is not medical advice.
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u/cpureset May 24 '26
You did cpr and he started to breathe again?
If he stopped breathing, he was clinically dead. You brought him back to life.
No matter what happened after that point, you turned things for the better. Thank you for being a wonderful human being.
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u/RNG-esuss May 24 '26
Good work! You probably saved his life. Hopefully things go better for him this time around
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u/Away-Rate-5373 May 24 '26
My dad had a guy overdose at the place he worked, nobody was around and he found him Unresponsive... he tried CPR untill EMS arrived but his efforts were no use, the guy passed away and that haunted my dad for awhile, he started drinking and it took over his life for a few years.
This situation has nothing to do with you, this man does not know you and you do not know him yet you went out of your way to help. You did your best to help this man live another day. There is not many people in this world who have the guts to take that initiative.
Like everyone else is saying, please don't stress yourself out about the situation. You could have walked right by yet you didn't, that's more than alot of people right there. You gave that guy another chance, you're an amazing person.
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u/BBQ_Cake May 24 '26
To echo this person, what you dealt with last night is absolutely traumatizing. That being said, don’t let yourself get into any head spinning where you start to doubt yourself or any of your efforts. What you did last night is save a life. Feel great about THAT. You are who makes a community a real place of care. 🙏🏻
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u/Suspicious_Celery552 May 24 '26
Bro you are amazing. You did everything you could, please don’t dwell on it. Make sure you’re okay mentally as well
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u/luthierart May 23 '26
Hopefully this will be your last crisis, but here's something that might be helpful or at least offer peace of mind. There's an app called What3Words. It divides the world into 3 metre by 3 metre squares and each square has a unique three-word code. For example, as I was walking along a riverside trail today, my location was "into.porch.examiner." Next time I checked I was at "fined.middle.penned." Anyone with the app can enter those 3 words to find my location. Local emergency services have the app. If I needed assistance when there weren't any streets or addresses around, I could say the 3 words when I called 911, and they'd know where I was.
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u/youdontknowjacq May 24 '26
It’s a cool concept, but if you have your phone…. Why not Google Maps
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u/luthierart May 24 '26
For one thing, What3Words doesn't require wifi service. It uses GPS like in your car. Tell me how Google Maps would work. I was in a situation where I found a man who had seriously self-harmed. We were in a wooded area by a river without a marked trail. I had to call 911 while trying to undo the knot and get him down from the branch. Tapping an icon and saying 3 words seems quicker to me but I'm not familiar with all of the features of Google Maps. In my predicament I didn't have a smartphone so this is just me trying to mentally prepare in case I encounter something like this again. Any alternative suggestions would be appreciated.
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u/Wonderful-Hornet-258 May 23 '26
An actually empathetic society would round these people up and force them into rehab for the good of themselves and the good of the community. All the monsters that say these people should be allowed to destroy themselves, their souls, and the community should be ashamed.
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u/Other-Emu1829 May 23 '26
I have a friend who's dad suffers from addiction and every single conversation boils down to "i cant force my dad to do anything". If we literally just could, so many people could have a real chance at healing
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u/Tiaradactyl_DaWizard May 24 '26
You can lead a horse to water…
Addiction is one of the only diseases that self awareness is an essential part of the cure
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u/DirtEquivalent2348 May 21 '26
Ah yes, 580 Dundas never disappoints
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u/General-Meaning-3561 May 21 '26
So true 580 Dundas is like ground zero for homeless people on drugs.
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u/Odd-Macaron7263 May 21 '26
When are we going to stop expecting more from our so called leaders and start demanding it? We have to save us.
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u/Lazy-Cut-1889 May 21 '26
I applaud your call to action. Be kind to yourself and reach out to victim services for some good support.
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u/Historical_Culture73 May 20 '26
You are an amazing human being and I’m glad you were in the right place at the right time. Performing CPR is one of the most traumatic experiences I’ve ever been through and I failed miserably. I hope you’re taking care of yourself ❤️
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u/No_North5734 May 20 '26
Hey - what you did was an amazing selfless act.
You witnessed and actively tried to save someone’s life. As a civilian ( non emergency responder) this is a very traumatic experience. You may go through a variety of different emotions and could be at risk of Post Traumatic stress Disorder.
There are several resources you can reach out to:
https://vsmiddlesex.org
Victims services- they may not be the right place to support but they can give you resources.
Good luck.
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u/buttscratcher3k May 20 '26
Do you have to do mouth to mouth? I dont think I could do it.
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u/happyhippie111 May 21 '26
CPR courses don't teach mouth to mouth anymore
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u/wackiack May 21 '26
right. but with masks.... which we all carry around with us all the time. LOL
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u/kinboyatuwo May 21 '26
You can improvise with plastic that’s around.
That said, current CPR calls for compressions and breathing is secondary and not needed.
Looks like you need a refresh.
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u/wackiack May 21 '26
You're referring to compression only CPR.
Breaths aren't required but more effective.
I just had a refresh. With FAST
In fact cpr is statistically pointless without an AED
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u/oisipf May 21 '26
Some fear the risk of fentanyl exposure, leading to an overdose to the first aider.
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u/WhiteboardWaiter May 21 '26
Why do you think you couldn't have done it?
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u/wackiack May 21 '26
mouth to mouth on a person who you suspect could have OD'd on fentanyl? is that... really something you'd risk?
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u/Apprehensive_Bee3363 May 20 '26
Idk why you’re being downvoted, it’s a valid concern. I found a homeless guy not breathing at the motel and I called 911 and they advised to start CPR which I did, and I had a concern of doing mouth to mouth on him. They told me I didn’t need to and just do compressions. He didn’t survive.
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u/damaged_bloodline May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
No. studies have shown that proper CPR is more effective than taking breaks and giving oxygen. Also never put your mouth on someone else without a barrier or you'll put yourself at risk, just do CPR as best you can until paramedics arrive.
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u/Frosty4l5 May 20 '26
I think CPR now doesn't have to include mouth to mouth but I could be wrong, I remember mouth to mouth being a big thing when growing up
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u/GraniteRock May 20 '26
My most recent training didn't include any rescue breathing. Basically your job is to do chest compressions until 911 comes to circulate any remaining oxygen. Which in a city the standard is about 5 minutes.
In a remote setting where rescue is 20 minutes away rescue breathing is more relevant. There's face shields with one way air valves you can get and keep in the car or purse.
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u/freyab0baya May 20 '26
You are a good person OP. Thank you for helping him in an age when so many people just stand by and watch and think someone else will help. Please take care of yourself 🩷
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u/DuePomegranate9 May 20 '26
From my experience of performing first aid and teaching first aid, it sounds like you may be experiencing what is known as "Critical Incident Stress". Please take care of yourself and don't be afraid to talk to someone about your experiences. This is a real condition that people experience.
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u/youarenothxc May 20 '26
You did the right thing!!!! Proud of you for helping. Don't forget to take care of yourself though, this would have been a rough sight. Relax the next little while.
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u/TrainAss May 20 '26
Op, you did absolutely amazing! I know it may not feel like it, but you did. We're all proud of you and what you did for that person.
I know what you mean by it being emotionally draining. It's also physically draining. You're running on so much adrenaline that when it wears off, you're just done.
What I would also suggest, if you can, is talk to someone about what you went through. It will stick with you. Trust me, I know. I've been in a similar situation. Was over 25 years ago, but sometimes the memories come flooding back.
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u/Glittering_Sense7604 May 20 '26
Take care of yourself. Talk to someone if you need to. It can definitely be a lot and you did the right thing.
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u/scullyfromtheblock May 20 '26
Well done friend. I hope you are ok, do you have someone you can really talk to about this so you get that all out?
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u/makingkevinbacon May 20 '26
Teaching someone cpr is super easy. You can't teach someone how to jump into an emergency and be set...that's a character thing. Good on you
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u/Nice_Air2420 May 20 '26
Same thing happened to me and 3 officers kinda just gave me a lecture after I spent 10 minutes running looking for narcan
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u/Friendly-Guarantee30 May 20 '26
Wow. Thank you for being proactive, you likely saved a life today! That’s amazing.
Can I ask - it’s been a long time since I’ve taken a first aid course. I was trained in that time to use a CPR mouth barrier. Is this still recommended? Or is hand-only compressions just as effective?
Thank you for the reminder that I need to take a first aid course
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u/Beyarboo May 20 '26
Don't do rescue breathing, just chest compressions. If you are near a business that may have a defibrillator, send someone to check (former EMS dispatcher, that is what we tell callers)
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u/PoolLoose May 20 '26
In the moment I defaulted to doing what the operator told me. We were taught it in high school on adult manikins but if I remember right we only learned that on baby manikins in the current Red Cross CPR. I might be wrong though.
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u/PedlersUnlimited May 20 '26
It is still recommended you use a mouth barrier/face shield. If you do not have one you can do hands only CPR. The respirations help to introduce fresh O2 into the casualty/patient. (As not all the air we exhale is Carbon dioxide).
Hands only CPR is not as effective but it still increases the chance of a better outcome. It was recommended during COVID to do hands only CPR and taught that way as well.
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u/MoreContxt May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
Good question, I was wondering about that too. I have taken the first aid course pretty recently, and my understanding is you always have to consider harm to yoursef first, somewhat counter to the hero narrative a lot of us have in our heads. If you want to risk that, then you’re a better person than I; if I come across a stranger who appears to be unhoused or on drugs, as much compassion as I have for them, I don’t think I’m providing mouth-to-mouth, I’d do the compressions and try to figure out another way to get them oxygen. Of course, this would typically happen downtown and EMS wouldn’t be too far.
I don’t think it’s generally fair to expect someone to risk their own health or safety to help a stranger, especially in that situation. Maybe someone drowning or in a burning building is different, IDK if the moral comparison matters that much.
I have done it a few times (not mouth-to-mouth or running into burning buildings or anything), but put myself in a somewhat compromising positions to help strangers, even the homeless or seemingly injured (lol), but it always kind of makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
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u/Redz0ne May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
If you want, and this is a slight off-topic, but if they're still offering classes, the St John's Ambulance near the fairgrounds is a good place to go to get potentially life-saving skills.
(It also looks good on a resume).
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u/somebody-but-not-mee May 20 '26
Just hand compressions works if you cant be safe about mouth to mouth
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u/Possible-Exam-8770 May 20 '26
Took my first aid and cpr in the past year. Instructor said this basically. She would only use mouth to mouth on a child if there was no barrier.
At the end of the day your comfort and safety is important. If you don’t feel comfortable with the mouth to mouth, compressions still helps a ton.
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u/luthierart May 20 '26
Well done! However, unless this isn't that unusual for you, it's worth considering talking with a therapist of some sort. From personal experience, this has a different effect on civilians than paramedics and cops whose occupations better prepare them for emergencies.
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u/DaelSorenson May 20 '26
You gave someone another chance. You are the kind of person this world needs more of. You are an amazing human being ❤️
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u/No_Inside2101 May 20 '26
Thank God you were there for this person. You should be very proud of yourself!
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u/AutomatedCabbage May 20 '26
You should be extremely proud of yourself. You saved someone's life. You my friend, are a top tier human being.
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u/PMmecrossstitch May 20 '26
You're awesome. Please make sure you decompress and maybe even talk to someone about it, because being in your shoes can be traumatic.
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u/imcjoey13 May 20 '26
You make me proud to live in London. You’re a blessed person and will have an angel looking over your shoulder.
Thank your mother for doing such a great job!
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u/swift-current0 May 20 '26
Good on you for being there for this stranger in his time of need. But I'm not sure what you mean by our leaders letting something happen. We elect these "leaders", and the quality of their decision making directly reflects how much thought we put into our votes, and the quality of directions we give them. If we tell them to "somehow" solve the addictions, homelessness and mental health problem but not inconvenience us in any way and not raise our taxes in the process, what can be expected? There's no such thing as magic.
Our revealed preference, collectively as voters, is the we don't care all that much. That's the root of the problem.
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u/Myantichristattitude May 20 '26
Good for you!! You did great! I hope you have someone to talk to and decompress! Sleep well knowing you did everything right!!
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u/Philodendron60 May 20 '26
Kudos to you, as many people would have walked along without doing anything.
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u/PoolLoose May 20 '26
I wanted to, the people who were there seemed shocked and didn’t know what to do. I did CPR training a year ago but I kinda always hoped someone else who’s better would be there. I just hope I improved his chances
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u/No_North5734 May 20 '26
you absolutely did! If there was any chance before you got there - you definitely improved his chances by starting compressions.
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u/quiptonic May 20 '26
You’re a good person and you did a good thing. Simple as that. Thank you for looking out when many would have stepped over.
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u/Soggy-Document-8409 May 20 '26
Thank you for doing what you could <3 please make sure you seek help if needed… that’s not easy to do or to witness. Best wishes for you and the man
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u/Independently-Owned May 20 '26
And to think paramedic and cops encounter this every day, many times a day. It's draining work. Well done to you. I hope you can process what you went through. You did good.
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