TAVARES, Florida—Britney Ochoa has a lot to be grateful for this holiday season.
Last month, just before she was about to go to bed around 11 p.m., her mom’s instinct kicked in and she checked on her son Elias to find he was not breathing. Just 2 months old at the time, Elias had spent the beginning of his life in the hospital and mom had just recently brought him home.
Ochoa, 22, called 9-1-1 and some might say Elias’ guardian angel appeared in the form of Tavares Police Officer Teddy Pearl. Pearl arrived on scene to find Ochoa performing CPR on tiny Elias.
“He literally took over CPR for me,” Ochoa told Inside Lake. “I was in shock.”
Elias was born with holes in his heart and has undergone open heart surgery since the incident on Nov. 13, where his airway was described as “floppy.” He is deaf in one ear and suffers from a condition that makes his heart rate drop and oxygen levels go down causing him difficulty breathing, but that seems to be improving now, Ochoa said. He recently underwent a sleep study and it came back normal.
“He pulls himself out of those (episodes,)” she said.
Elias is still in the hospital, but Ochoa hopes to be bringing him back home soon. Big brother Sterling, 2, who has epilepsy, misses his little brother tremendously, Ochoa said, and cannot wait for him to come home. Sterling is not allowed to visit Elias in the hospital due to COVID-19 protocols, she said, but Elias got a special visit from Officer Pearl this week, Tavares Police Public Information Officer Courtney Sullivan told Inside Lake Friday.
“Officer Pearl has maintained contact with the family and visited the family on his day off. He has stated that this call in particular has impacted him, and he keeps in touch to check on the family,” Sullivan said.
Pearl’s recent hospital visit included a new toy for Elias, snuggles and a few photos. Pearl told Inside Lake this was his first time rendering aid to an infant and when he arrived Elias’ family all looked to him for help; his mind went back to his days in the academy when instructors warned him this day would come.
“You have that split second where you’re like OK—do something,” he said.
Pearl took Elias from Ochoa and after taking over CPR, “He started gasping,” and Pearl kept his airway open until he was transported to the hospital. Pearl said he is glad he can be a law enforcement officer and directly help the community. “I love that about my department, you’re not just a badge number,” he said.
Pearl has constantly asked for updates on Elias and feels like he has a bond with the entire family, “I have an attachment to him now.” Pearl is aware of Elias ’current and prior health issues and is amazed by his strength and resilience at his very young age.
“That’s a real fighter,” Pearl said. “That’s a real hero.”
