{"id":15695,"date":"2016-11-02T16:43:25","date_gmt":"2016-11-02T20:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/?p=15695"},"modified":"2016-11-10T12:04:23","modified_gmt":"2016-11-10T17:04:23","slug":"13-year-old-reunited-with-men-and-women-who-saved-his-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/13-year-old-reunited-with-men-and-women-who-saved-his-life\/","title":{"rendered":"13-year-old reunited with men and women who saved his life"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Brock Weir<\/strong><\/p>\n

September 15 started out like any other ordinary day for Luke Pignatelli.
\nThe 13-year-old was just a few days into Grade 9 at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic High School, but this was no ordinary Thursday.
\nThe last thing he remembers is talking to his brother Andrew\u2019s friend \u201cabout something random\u201d but the blanks of what happened next have had to be filled in by his family, friends, and the men and women who saved his life.
\n\u201cWe were just doing fitness testing because it was the beginning of the year,\u201d says Luke, a student with a passion for geography. \u201cI was told I was just doing a fitness test and I just kind of dropped.\u201d
\nShortly thereafter, Central York Fire Services (CYFS) received the 911 call. When they arrived at the school they found the boy with no palpable pulse.
\nUsing CPR and an automated external defibrillator, firefighters were able to revive Luke before members of York Region Paramedic Services took it from there, providing lifesaving care as they transported him to hospital for treatment.
\nOn Tuesday afternoon, Luke, along with his mother, Nicole, father Paul, Andrew and sister Kiera, were able to formally thank the men and women who worked so hard to save his life.
\n\u201cNot all the calls we respond to have such a happy ending,\u201d said CYFS Chief Ian Laing at the reunion. \u201cWe could not be more proud that the actions taken that day were able to save the life of this very special young man. The work the fire fighters do every day is heroic, but there is no work more heroic than saving the life of a child.
\n\u201cDespite the actions of fire fighters and emergency service personnel take every day, events like these are life-changing not just for those who need our help but those that respond to the call as well.\u201d
\nThese words were echoed by Paramedic Superintendent Terry Chomski.
\n\u201cWe respond to hundreds of calls every day throughout York Region and it certainly is a great chance to see one of our calls that had a very successful outcome,\u201d he said. \u201cWe would like to have all our calls end this way and when they do it gives all our staff a great feeling for the work that we do, all the studying we do, and it is great to see it actually pay off in a real life situation.\u201d
\nOn hand to meet Luke and his family were lifesavers Andrew Burdette, Lucas Chew and Darryl Noble of the CYFS, and paramedics Andre Bourrie (Acting Captain), Paul McPhail, Ryan Minke and Laura Rimmer.
\n\u201cThere aren\u2019t a lot of words to express how the Pignatelli family has for the actions of the fire department and the paramedics on September 15,\u201d said mom Nicole Pignatelli. \u201cOur family is so grateful they acted quickly, they were caring, that they saved our son\u2019s life and he I here with us today. Thank you. Thank you very much.\u201d
\nLooking back to September, Luke recalls a few things from the following Saturday and Sunday, particularly the presence of his parents for the eleven days he was in hospital.
\n\u201cI remember them making jokes to lighten the mood because I am a pretty easy going kid, at least that\u2019s what I\u2019ve been told, so I don\u2019t get stressed easily,\u201d he says. \u201cThis is kind of cool to meet the people who saved my life. I am just grateful to have had them.\u201d<\/p>\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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