Young Boy Scout aids in lifesaving rescue, retrieving AED during mountain emergency

A hike turned heroic when an off-duty fire captain and his 11-year-old son helped save a man over 2,000 miles from home.

Delray Beach Fire Rescue (DBFR) said Captain Jim Bast of DBFR and his 11-year-old son, Quinn, leapt into action during a medical emergency while vacationing in the Colorado mountains.

Fire rescue said the pair was hiking when they noticed a man lying face down on the ground. The man's wife explained he had a medical history, prompting Captain Bast to quickly assess the situation.

"It was all pretty rapid, just assessing the patient," Cpt. Bast said.

With years of experience behind him, Bast began CPR — guided in part by his son’s quick instincts and recent CPR/AED training through his Boy Scout troop. Quinn didn’t hesitate, DBFR said.

DBFR said Quinn shouted, “Start chest compressions!” then sprinted to a nearby brewery to retrieve an automated external defibrillator (AED).

The AED instructed a shock followed by continued CPR. Moments later, the patient, a man in his 70s, began breathing again. Local fire rescue arrived shortly afterward and transported him to the hospital.

A doctor later confirmed, “The AED was key in saving his life.”

Captain Bast reflected on the intensity of the moment and praised his son's composure.

"It was nice to have a young man there that was really calm," Bast said. "In those circumstances, every minute seems like it takes an hour. The AED was back before I could believe it."

The father and son later took time to process the experience together.

"We both expressed gratitude that we were put in the right place at the right time and that we were able to help somebody,” Bast said.