ROY, Utah -- Roy City officials hosted a special birthday bash on Saturday for a 12-year-old boy who saved his mother’s life by calling 911 and performing CPR until paramedics arrived.
C.J. Saulsgiver heard his mother cry out for help last week while he and a friend were playing. Shortly after, C.J. called 911.
“My mom, something happened to her,” he said during the call. “I don't know what's wrong. She can't tell me what happened. She says she can't dial the phone. It's hard for her to breathe."
As the call continued, the dispatcher gave CJ instructions, and he performed CPR.
“We didn`t know what to do so we called 911, and she told me to do CPR, and I did it before she even said anything,” C.J. said.
C.J.’s mother, Christine, was suffering from a heart attack, but she is doing well now, thanks to her son.
“He’s always been very adult,” Christine Saulsgiver said. “When he went through the CPR class he just knew what to do… When there’s something that needs to be done, he does it.”
Chief Jason Poulsen, Roy City Fire Department, said Roy City officials decided to celebrate C.J.’s heroics, so they hosted a birthday bash for the boy at the fire house.
“Everything came together,” he said. “His mom made a great recovery and a full recovery and that happened to be on his birthday, so we thought we’d hold a birthday party for CJ here at the Roy Fire Station to kind of celebrate his birthday and his heroic efforts.”
The party included cake, a bounce house and gifts. Poulsen said the party was well deserved.
“His CPR skills really did make the difference in a good quality of life for his mother,” he said.
And while CJ said he enjoyed the party, he said his mother’s health is the best gift of all.
