Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office School Resource Office, Deputy Mellana's heroic actions helped save a student's life in the middle of a medical emergency on the campus of Wharton High School in New Tampa. A fellow student, who noticed the teen fall forward, stopped to help and alerted school staff, Deputy Mellana was notified of a student who had passed out while walking on campus due to what appeared to be a medical episode. He was breathing irregularly and unresponsive. Upon arriving at the scene, he found the student lying on his back and surrounded by the school nurse and multiple school employees. Deputy Mellana requested the assistance of EMS and used his Sheriff's Office training to deliver an AED shock to the student's chest, followed by several minutes of administering CPR until Tampa Fire Rescue arrived at the school.
The student was transported to the AdventHealth Wesley Chapel Hospital where he received additional treatment and has since been released from the hospital. He is recovering and undergoing further medical evaluations. His mother expressed her gratitude to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office for the quick actions that aided in keeping her son alive. "There is no better reward in doing our jobs than being able to help someone and especially save someone's life.
Deputy Mellana's actions are a shining example of the heroism and composure under pressure that law enforcement officers must display every day," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "We are incredibly grateful that the first aid training each of our deputies receives was able to help this young man make it back home to his family."