Most 14-year old boys would allow the advice of their elders to go in one ear and out the other. Dakota Workman listened and used that advice to save his cousin’s life.

Dakota Workman may look and act like most young men his age, but just ask his family and they’ll tell you that he’s also a hero.

On January 30, Workman was supervising his two younger cousins as they took advantage of the winter weather to go sledding in the snow.

“It was a Sunday and the boys were out playing in the snow when it happened,” Madison resident Aleta Ballard said. “My 14-year old grandson saved the life of my 4-year old grandson.”

“We were all out there sledding and I called to Isaac and he didn’t answer me,” Dakota says, recalling how the young boy was lying on the ground and looked “lifeless.”

“Afterwards, Dakota told me that there was no visible sign of life,” Ballard says.

“The first thing I did was checked the airway and I realized he wasn’t breathing,” Dakota says.

Young Dakota then began to implement the advice he had received earlier that week.

“I had just taken a CPR and First Aid class the week before,” Dakota says.

The CPR and First Aid class were part of training offered to young men and women in Boone County through the Civil Air Patrol.

“I wasn’t even wanting to go [to the training,]” Dakota shares, adding, “And I never thought I would ever use it.”

Using the Heimlich maneuver, Dakota was able to dislodge gum that had become lodged in his young cousin’s throat.

“A wad of bubble gum shot out and then he vomited. I think he had eaten something like eight pieces of gum. He then hugged me,” Dakota said of his first-cousin Isaac White.

On February 11, the family rejoiced as Isaac celebrated his 5th birthday, thankful that the 14-year old Dakota had not ignored the instructions given to him during the Civil Air Patrol’s CPR training.

“I am so thankful for that CPR class and the Civil Air Patrol. We only became involved with them about a year ago, but I can’t imagine what would have happened if Dakota hadn’t just learned those things at their meeting,” said Dakota’s mother Monica Ballard.

“I guess the lesson I took away from this is that you should be ready for anything,” said Dakota.

Young Dakota is in the 9th grade and attends the Christian Faith Academy. He became involved with the Civil Air Patrol after learning about the many college resources and opportunities available to him through the program. Dakota says the best part of the CAP is learning about aviation and says he would like to one day become an airplane pilot.

Dakota knows the significance of his actions, but says he doesn’t want “all the attention and all that,” that comes with being called a hero.

“He is a hero,” grandmother Ballard says warmly.

If you are interested in learning First Aid and CPR, contact the Boone County Health Department. Their next training is slated for March 8 and 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the Boone Career Center. The instruction will be given by Registered Nurse Paula Hostein. She can be reached at the Boone County Health Department at 304-369-7967.