Family Grateful To Transit Cop Who Saved Son's Life On Sheepshead Bay Train Platform
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The breath of life was caught on camera when a teenager collapsed on a subway platform recently, and a police officer rushed in to help.
The teen's family said their son is alive because of that officer, and on Wednesday they got the chance to thank him.
As CBS2's Valerie Castro reported, a dramatic YouTube video shows the life saving efforts an NYPD Transit Officer used when a 19-year-old man collapsed on the Sheepshead Bay Road Q an B train platform in Brooklyn on Aug. 15.
Officer Qiand Shi performed CPR on Rio Ferrer, first administering chest compressions, then giving him mouth to mouth until he heard Ferrer gurgle and gasp for air.
"it was heart wrenching when I finally did see it, and I cried through the entire segment of it," Ferrer's mother Diane said.
Diane credited Officer Shi for saving her son's life.
"To me and my family, he is our guardian angel," she said.
The family was finally able to meet the officer in person at the same station where the incident took place.
"I was speechless. There is not any words or word that I could say to really tell him how I feel, how a mother feels knowing that someone saved her child's life," Diane said.
"I don't want the attention. I appreciate it. I just did my job as a first responder," Shi added.
The family offered Shi a small token of appreciation -- a police shield made out of LEGOs from Ferrer's 10-year-old brother.
"I'm really happy that he was there to save my brother's life," Conner Lawson said.
He was also given a sketch made by Diane, an art teacher.
"That is something that I created with my son in mind and him in mind for saving his life," Diane said.
Rio is expected to spend at least another week in the hospital. His family said he will make a full recovery.