A young Albufeira firefighter has been hailed a hero after saving the life of a choking two-year-old boy in Ferreiras, on Thursday morning (May 12).
Ricardo Gordinho, 21, was on his way home from a night shift at the town’s fire station when he saw the toddler in cardiorespiratory arrest on the ground, surrounded by a large group near Ferreiras’ roundabout.
“I realised that his airway was obstructed and immediately started basic life support,” Gordinho told Correio da Manhã.
The toddler had apparently choked on a piece of bread and was being taken to Albufeira’s basic emergency unit when his parents stopped the car, desperate for help as his condition deteriorated.
Gordinho was able to partially clear the child’s airway and get him breathing again until emergency services arrived to take over.
When the toddler was admitted to Faro Hospital, “he was already conscious, breathing well, and smiling,” a delighted Gordinho told CM.
