I learned CPR from TV, says man after saving boy’s life

We blame a lot on TV but revival techniques gleaned from the small screen helped save the life of a three-year-old child yesterday.

As Mihai Tache arrived in his car at Lake Innisleena, about 12km from Cork City, he saw a man running in his direction carrying a young boy in his arms.

“I got out of the car. I could see the child was limp, I could see it was serious, so I stopped the man and asked him if he knew CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation].

“He put the child on the ground and I blew into his mouth and pressed on his chest. Thank God he spat the water out. After that, he looked much better.”

Asked by the Irish Examiner where he learned CPR, Mihai, who has lived in Ireland for 15 years, said he had seen it on telly.

“I saw it being done in lots of programmes on RTÉ and TV3. I feel very good about it now,” he said.

Relatives of the young boy, who was identified as Thomas from Cork, said they were happy with his progress last night. He was taken to Cork University Hospital (CUH) by emergency services after the near-drowning incident.

Mihai, the father of two girls and two boys, who is originally from Romania but lives in Wilton, a suburb of Cork City, said they had intended to go to Farran Woods with their extended family, but that the plan changed when they learned Farran Woods closes at 9pm. The family was planning a BBQ.

They arrived at Innisleena around 5pm, luckily for Thomas.

Last night family members said Mihai was kept busy — he also went to the assistance of a niece and nephew who swam out too far in Innisleena Lake, a popular recreation area near Inniscarra dam.