Following Central High School student’s heroic act, CPR advocates promote education

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - On August 31, a student at Central High School helped a gunshot victim until paramedics arrived.

Nylaia Carter was leaving basketball practice when she found someone bleeding out from a gunshot wound. She grabbed her duffle bag and used her sweatshirt to create a tourniquet.

She was ready to administer CPR if it became necessary.

Her teachers in the pre-med program at Central said they’re proud of what happened.

“Wow,” her teacher Shantel Reed said. “Not only did [Nylaia] know what to do, but in [her] mind [she] was already thinking what does [she] do next.”

Now organizations are reminding people they don’t have to be a medical student to save a life.

UofL Health and the American Heart Association are among organizations that teach free CPR classes in Louisville.

Among those at the CPR training is former NBA great and UofL legend Darrell Griffith.

Griffith is advocating for learning these skills. He said he was proud hearing of a young athlete like Carter shining off the court.

“I always tell kids I talk to that athletics should be plan B. Academics is plan A,” Griffith said. “Hopefully she saved someone’s life.”

People can register for CPR classes on November 2 here.

UofL Health and the AHA will also host another on October 17 at UofL’s Belknap campus.

The organizations are also working on classes at UofL Health’s hospital in Shelbyville.

Copyright 2022 WAVE. All rights reserved.