A Tulsa family is thanking first responders who they credit with saving their son's life just a few weeks ago.
Cindy Patterson told NewsChannel 8 back on Jan. 6 her family, including her husband Dale Patterson and son Trent Florence, had just wrapped up dinner when the rest of their night was turned upside down. Patterson said Trent had been complaining throughout the evening saying that he wasn't feeling well, and when his condition didn't improve things took a difficult turn.
"We left dinner and he was complaining with chest pain," said Cindy Patterson. "He says he's having a seizure and then he's like, no I don't think this is a seizure."
Patterson said her family later learned that a valve in Trent's heart threw a clot, sending him into cardiac arrest. The Pattersons told NewsChannel 8 that they pulled over, and tried to help Trent as much as they could while waiting on authorities to arrive.
"Within two minutes the fire department showed up and got him out of the truck and started working on him," said Dale Patterson.
The Patterson family honored those firefighters and EMSA workers Friday with a special tribute, handing out plaques to show their appreciation for the hard work they did.
First responders say CPR, repetition and teamwork are what ultimately helped save Trent; who had CPR performed on him for at least 25 minutes that night.
"We find, you know, Trent here pulseless and apneic," said firefighter and paramedic Bryan Shook.
NewsChannel 8 also spoke with an EMSA employee who said the work split between the different agencies ultimately made a big difference.
"We got a pulse back," said Mason Newell with EMSA. "And so I went to the hospital and the doctors were doing good for him and doing everything they could."
Trent would ultimately pull through, and his doctors said he made a full recovery, despite the nearly half an hour he spent with no pulse.
"It's certain that Trent will remember these people for the rest of his life," said Tulsa Fire Department Public Information Officer Andy Little.
The Pattersons said there's no way they'll ever be able to truly express how much their efforts meant to their family and Trent.
"The cardiologist told us, he said, that night the stars aligned," said Cindy Patterson. "And you guys were the stars."
Both the Tulsa Fire Department and EMSA also stressed the importance of learning CPR, and said it could be crucial in saving a life like Trent's.
"CPR is pretty much, besides calling 911 the only thing that bystanders can do to improve the outcome for that patient," said EMSA Chief Public Affairs Officer Adam Paluka.