They Should Be Thanked Every Day for What They Do

A 7-year-old Boy’s Gratitude for First Responders Who Saved His Life

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. – A baseball game took a terrifying turn almost one year ago when a young boy was struck in the chest. Now, he’s back on the diamond, saying thanks to the first responders who saved his life.

Oscar’s Story

7-year-old Oscar Stuebe shook hands with the heroes in West Palm Beach who helped save his life almost one year ago. His mother, Sarah Stuebe, says she will never forget March 2024, when Oscar was playing for his youth baseball league. "He yelled my name and the tone, the way he yelled it, I knew immediately something was wrong," she said.

The Emergency Response

Oscar was hit by a baseball in the chest and went into cardiac arrest. Sarah immediately went into action, checking her son’s pulse and dialing 911. "I went into nurse mode," she said. "He didn’t have a pulse, he wasn’t breathing, and I did CPR." Firefighters soon arrived and worked on him on the way to St. Mary’s until he gained consciousness.

A Call to Action

"They should be thanked every day for what they do," Sarah said. "They gave us that seat at the table for our child, and without them, we wouldn’t be here celebrating Oscar." The family shared Oscar’s story in hopes of bringing automated external defibrillators to local parks. "Having this here just gives me an extra peace of mind that my kids are going to be safe no matter what," said Sarah.

Oscar’s Recovery and Resilience

As Oscar moves forward, he continues to play baseball. "Oscar was kind of the luckiest out of this whole situation because he doesn’t remember anything from happening," said Sarah. "I’ll never look at my son the same way. I’ll never look at any of my kids the same way."

Conclusion

The Stuebe family plans to hold a ribbon-cutting Saturday to unveil a new AED machine.

FAQs

• What happened to Oscar?
  • Oscar was struck in the chest by a baseball and went into cardiac arrest during a youth baseball league game.
• How did his mother respond?
  • Sarah immediately went into action, checking her son’s pulse and dialing 911, and performed CPR until the firefighters arrived.
• What is the Stuebe family’s goal?
  • The family is working to bring automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to local parks to ensure the safety of children and others in the community.