Metro Dad Promotes Life Saving Classes

By Jennifer Pierce, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A metro dad is teaching others how to be prepared when seconds count because taking life saving classes helped save his child's life.

Three-year-old Maya is full of life. Her dad showed her around the place that helped him save her life.

"Thanks to the training that I received here at the Red Cross and going through the instructor class, it was almost automatic," David Tedford said.

David had to perform CPR on his daughter when she was just a little over a year old.

"My wife and I were sitting down to eat dinner and my daughter started choking on a potato chip," David said.

Watching Maya choke was a very scary and eye-opening experience Layna Tedford, Maya's mother, who at the time was not CPR certified.

"The point was driven home, what if he wasn't there?" Layna said.

The thought of losing her daughter was enough for Layna to sign up for CPR classes the next day. She even got some friends to come with her.

"I think my story put the fear in them and they were signed up too," Layna said.

The American Red Cross trains thousands of Oklahomans with life saving skills every year. The time these participants invest in the training will pay off when and if they have to use what they learn.

"You hope you never have to use it for anybody, but I'm very thankful I had the training," David Tedford said. "And I know no matter what, I can be prepared to assist somebody should that need ever come up."