Teen saves woman’s life with training he learned in school
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SAGINAW, Michigan (WNEM) — A local student saved a woman’s life. Josh Wilkins, a senior at Heritage High School, found the woman on the ground with no pulse and she wasn’t breathing.
Josh, who is also a medical academy student at the Saginaw Career Complex, said it was that training fueling his heroic and life-saving actions.
“I said, ‘Josh, somebody has their grandma because of what you did. Someone has their mom still because of what you did,’” said Becky Wilkins, Josh’s mom.
The 17-year-old was on his way to visit his girlfriend when he saw a woman curled up on a curb. She had no pulse and was not breathing. Josh jumped into action using what he learned from the Saginaw Career Complex’s medical academy.
“Not only that he had the training, but he didn’t panic. He did what he was trained to do,” Becky said.
Josh performed CPR and rescue breaths until EMTs arrived on scene. The aspiring surgeon saved his very first life, making his mom and community proud.
“I am so full of pride. I’m so proud of him. I just want to shout it from the mountaintops,” Becky said.
His rescue efforts spread across social media.
“There’s a lot of people on Facebook who have been commenting, ‘you’re a hero.’ ‘Great job.’ ‘That’s amazing,’” Josh said.
The experience reassured the Heritage High School teen of his career choice as a cardiac surgeon.
“I’ve known that I’ve wanted to be some kind of surgeon for about two or three years now,” Josh said.
He plans to attend Delta College and later transfer to the University of Michigan. In the meantime, he is happy his heroic effort is sparking positivity during a pandemic.
“They need those stories of kindness and hope,” Josh said.
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