Last Thursday night, I got a phone call that you don’t often get.
“I just saved a boy’s life”
Ben Loyola called me late. Not too unusual. I’ve worked on Ben’s campaigns for Congress and state Senate, and we serve together on a city commission. He’s a good friend and I’m proud to know him.
Ben’s parents were in town for his child’s baptism, and he was dropping them off at their hotel when he heard kids screaming near the pool.
He found a young boy lying beside the hotel pool, lifeless and purple. “There was no breathing; he was gone,” Loyola said.
He shouted for someone to call 911, then used resuscitation techniques to revive the boy. (Virginian-Pilot)
Ben was CPR trained at the US Naval Academy, and took a refresher course when his kids were born.
Came in handy!
The boy was released from VB General hours later, and Ben called the hospital to check on his status.
I’ve met few others who exemplify the American Dream like he does. His personal story is nothing short of inspirational. It doesn’t surprise me that when someone was needed to answer the call, Ben was the one who did.
Hero.
