Leicester Boy Saves Dad's Life

18 February 2015, 06:00 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

An 11-year-old boy from Leicester thinks CPR should be made compulsory in schools after using it to save his dad.

Josh Williamson got the training from Sea Cadets and thinks his school friends should get it too.

Just after his dad Tommy Elverston finished making breakfast for him at his flat in New Parks back in November, Josh said he started breathing funny.

Tommy ended up collapsing but Josh called 999.

'So calm and brave'

After taking over CPR from Josh, paramedics shocked Tommy twice using a defibrillator and then, using a state of the art automatic chest compression machine, called a LUCAS, were able to get his heart starting again.

Rachael Cavill, Paramedic at East Midlands Ambulance Service attended the emergency, she said: 

'Josh was watching over as we worked on his dad and asked if there was anything he could do to help. He remained so calm and brave even though he had just saved his dads life.

'Once we had a confirmed pulse I told Josh that his dad’s heart was working but that he was still very poorly. Josh’s reply bought a tear to my eye. He just said "Thank you, I am not ready to lose my dad yet.'