Local teen who saved Grandmothers life honored by Red Cross

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. — The American Red Cross is honoring a local teen for saving his grandmother’s life. NBC5’s Lauren Pretto met with the boy and his family to hear his incredible story.

It was on Table Rock Road in Central Point where 16-year-old Tayen Landers saved his grandmother’s life by performing CPR. Tayen says it was all instinct.

It was just like going a thousand miles per hour through my head and I was just like, you know, it is someone that I love. So I was like, I just got to help her. That was just my main thing. I was just like, I got to help her.

Last November Tayen got in the car with his grandmother on his way home from school. When Tayen saw that his grandmother was swerving he started to get very concerned.

We finally start going downhill and that’s when I’m like, okay, something’s gotta get done. And I eventually I saw that she had started to convulse or something like that but I had unbuckled my seatbelt and then just got right on top of it.

Tayen was able to put his foot on the brake and pull his grandmother out of the car. From there, he called his dad and 911 and started performing CPR.

What was mainly going through my head was just echoing like basically what my dad had taught me and also what the 911 operator, the 911 operator saved, I mean, I’d say like she really saved her because she was just helping me through the whole process right there.

Tayen’s grandmother, Patty Landers says she started to regain consciousness once the paramedics arrived. She says without her grandson, she wouldn’t be here.

The next thing I knew I heard his voice and I was laying on the ground. And I heard him say stay with me Gram. Stay with me.

Tayen was presented with the Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action for his quick thinking and life-saving actions.

Priscilla Fuentes, regional CEO for the Cascades region of the American Red Cross says we need more heroes like Tayen in the community.

These recipients truly embody the mission and values of the Red Cross, and that’s to recognize them.

Fuentes says the Red Cross has awarded over 2,500 individuals who have saved over 1,300 lives with the Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action worldwide.