LAGUNA BEACH, CA — A San Diego resident who stepped in to perform life-saving efforts was lauded by proxy this week at the Laguna Beach City Council Meeting.
Tuesday night, city officials recognized how Aysem Kenan, a 19-year-old San Diego resident, assisted an unconscious person inside a vehicle just after it struck their parked car and others.
Officials recounted the incident at the meeting, sharing how Kenan stepped in, saying she knew CPR, when asked by Fire Battalion Chief Chip Gilmore.
Kenan, currently a sophomore at the University of South Carolina, shared her memories with the Daily Pilot.
"It was just really scary," Kenan said in a phone interview with the Pilot on Wednesday. "I wouldn't want to be in that situation again, but I'm glad I was there and able to do something. I would say I was only giving compressions for three to five minutes, and then the ambulance got there really fast. I heard the sirens while I was giving compressions, and then next thing I know, they're there."
During the ceremony, Administrative Fire Capt. Pat Cary said the man she assisted was believed to have suffered a cardiac emergency and did survive, though no additional information about his condition was immediately known. He thanked the family for their daughter's efforts during the council session.
"Thank you for having the courage to step forward," Cary said. "Thank you for helping a stranger when they needed it most, and thank you for reminding all of us that knowing CPR can truly make the difference between life and death."
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