Posted by Yahoo!Entertainment Joelle Goldstein Fri, August 27, 2021, 3:22 PM · 2 min read on Sep 1st 2021

Florida Deputy Sheriff Saves Student's Life After Teen Suffers Medical Episode on High School Campus

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Body camera footage showing Deputy William Mellana performing CPR on the student

A Florida Sheriff's Department is praising one of its own for saving the life of a student who collapsed at a local high school.

The incident unfolded just before 3 p.m. on Aug. 17 at Wharton High School in Tampa, according to a press release obtained by PEOPLE from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Officials said School Resource Deputy William Mellana was on campus when he was notified about a teenage student who had passed out while walking to class.

"A fellow student, who noticed the teen suddenly fall forward, stopped to help and alerted school staff," police said, adding that the student appeared to be suffering from a medical episode and "was breathing irregularly and unresponsive."

Mellana rushed to the scene, where he found the student lying on his back surrounded by the school nurse and other school employees

The officer then jumped into action, using an automated external defibrillator to shock the student's chest before performing CPR until Tampa Fire Rescue arrived, according to the release.

Body camera footage posted online by the Sheriff's Office captured the moment when Mellana performed the life-saving measures while other EMS personnel reassured the student that he would be okay.

Mellana's efforts were ultimately successful and the student was transported to Advent Health Wesley Chapel Hospital, where he received additional treatment before getting released, according to the Sheriff's Department.

"He is now recovering and undergoing further medical evaluations," they said in the press release.

Following the incident, the Sheriff's Department said the student's mother "expressed her gratitude to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and Hillsborough County Public Schools for the quick actions that aided in keeping her son alive."

The Department also praised Mellana as a "true hero" for his "composure under pressure."

"There is no better reward in doing our jobs than being able to help someone and especially save someone's life," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. "Deputy Mellana's actions are a shining example of the heroism and composure under pressure that law enforcement officers must display every day."

"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," Chronister added.

In Friday's Facebook post, the Sheriff's Department provided an update about the student, noting that he is "doing much better and has returned to class since the medical episode."