Lakewood High School teen uses CPR training to save best friend’s life

PINELLAS COUNTY

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (WLFA) – A 16-year-old high school student is being hailed a hero after saving her best friend’s life.

Torrie Norwood and A’zarria Simmons, both juniors at Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg have been best friends since middle school.

Back in February, the two friends were in a car crash, where A’zarria was unresponsive. That is when Torrie stepped in to help save her best friend.

“I checked her pulse, there was no pulse, so I just started doing CPR and what Ms. Miller taught me. Thankfully I only had to do 30 compressions and 2 breaths and she started to move again,” Norwood said.

Torrie just received her CPR certification the day before the crash happened.

“I saw my friend of the ground and I just knew what I had to do,” Norwood added.

A’zarria has been recovering and is hoping to return to school next week. She tells 8 On Your Side she is forever grateful for her best friend saving her life.

“If it wasn’t for her I would probably be somewhere where I don’t want to be. And on top of that, she risked her life for me and I just don’t know how to pay her back for that,” Simmons said.

Torrie’ teacher, Erika Miller, proud of her for using the skills she learned in class to save someone who needed help.

“To know that she took something she learned in class and applied it and was able to help save her best friend’s life is what every teacher hopes that they learn in class is how they can use this in the real world,” Miller said.

Norwood tells 8 On Your Side she hopes to become a nurse when she gets older.