11-Year-Old Delaware County Boy Whose Life Was Saved By Police Officers Reunites With His 'Heroes'
SPRINGFIELD, Pa. (CBS) -- A Delaware County boy whose life was saved by Springfield Township police officers got the chance to say thank you in person on Tuesday.
The first time young Dessalont met these Springfield Township officers, the circumstances were much different.
"No heartbeat, not breathing," Sgt. Dave Welsh said.
That was the call over police radio one Sunday in late August.
"Des," as he's known, had collapsed at a trampoline fun center. He wasn't breathing. His heart had stopped.
"It's heart-wrenching to hear that come out on the radio," Officer Kyle Cutcliff said. "And you know everyone who's on that radio is coming to that call."
For Des, that day is pretty much a blur.
"All I remember was jumping on the trampoline," Des said.
Mom Nitrell Carter said it was absolute panic.
"He literally dropped dead right there," Carter said. "I saw the life leave his body."
Des was born with a heart condition. He's had surgeries in the past, but nothing like this has ever happened. His mother explained one of the leads to his pacemaker fractured a full five days before he collapsed.
"I didn't know what to think, I needed help to get here immediately," Carter said.
That help -- several Springfield Township officers, including Welsh and Cutcliff. They jumped in, performing CPR and using an automated external defibrillator.
They got a pulse and Des was breathing again.
This 11-year-old reconnected with both on Tuesday.
"They're heroes," Des said of Welsh and Cutcliff.
Des had open-heart surgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and continues to recover.
These hero officers are humbled by the attention.
"The credit just goes to the fact we are trained and prepared to do our job, and that's all, did our job," Welsh said. "Thank God it worked out the way it did."
"It is special to see Des and his family come back here and see him running around behind you," Cutcliff said. "That's not the Des we saw that night. He was not moving, was unresponsive, and just to see him playing around now is awesome. It couldn't have ended better."
