Written by Tom Sirmons
Updated October 2026 with current pediatric CPR guidance.

Sometimes the person who knows CPR happens to be in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.

That is the lesson behind this older In-Pulse CPR story about Loraine Gray, a passerby who reportedly stopped to help when a 22-month-old girl became unresponsive in St. Catharines, Ontario.

The original account says the toddler had been visiting relatives when she suffered a seizure and stopped breathing.

Her family called 911.

But nobody inside knew CPR.

Then Loraine happened to walk by.

I was able to confirm the original In-Pulse account, but I could not find independent contemporary reporting that verifies the names and details of the rescue. For that reason, this article is best preserved as an illustrative pediatric CPR story based on the original account, rather than presented as independently documented fact. In-Pulse CPR

A Child Suddenly Stopped Breathing

According to the original story, the 22-month-old girl had been ill with an ear infection before experiencing a seizure.

Her uncle, Glen Curnock, called 911.

With family members panicking around him, he stepped outside so he could better hear the emergency dispatcher.

That decision brought him into contact with someone who knew exactly how serious the situation might be.

A Passerby Heard the Emergency

Loraine Gray was passing the home when she heard the concern in Glen’s voice.

She realized he was talking about a young child who was not breathing.

Loraine asked an important question:

Was anyone performing CPR?

According to the original account, nobody in the family knew how.

Loraine did.

She followed Glen inside and began CPR on the toddler.

The child’s lips had reportedly turned blue, a frightening sign that she was not receiving enough oxygen.

Loraine continued CPR until paramedics arrived and took over.

The child survived.

Pediatric CPR Is Different From Adult Hands-Only CPR

One of the most important updates to this old article is that CPR for infants and children is not simply adult Hands-Only CPR scaled down.

The 2025 American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines emphasize that breathing problems are a major cause of cardiac arrest in infants and children.

Because of that, breaths are especially important during pediatric CPR. cpr.heart.org

For a child who is:

• Unresponsive
• Not breathing normally
• Showing no signs of life

a lay rescuer should activate emergency medical services and begin CPR immediately.

The AHA specifically advises lay rescuers not to delay CPR while trying to find a pulse. cpr.heart.org

CPR for a 22-Month-Old Child

At 22 months old, the toddler in this story would fall under the AHA’s child CPR guidance rather than infant CPR.

For a single rescuer providing conventional CPR, the standard compression-to-breath ratio is:

30 compressions to 2 breaths

For two trained rescuers performing pediatric CPR, the ratio is generally:

15 compressions to 2 breaths

Current guidance recommends a compression rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute and a depth of about one-third the chest’s front-to-back diameter, approximately 2 inches for a child. cpr.heart.org

If a lay rescuer is unable or unwilling to provide breaths, compression-only CPR is still better than doing nothing.

But when CPR involves a young child, breaths can be especially important.

An AED Should Also Be Used

Modern pediatric CPR training also places greater emphasis on AED use.

For infants and children in cardiac arrest, the AHA recommends attaching an AED as soon as possible.

Pediatric pads or a pediatric attenuator should be used if available, but rescuers should not delay defibrillation unnecessarily while searching for specialized equipment. cpr.heart.org

The basic response becomes:

Call 911. Start CPR with breaths. Get an AED.

CPR Training Can Matter Far From Home

One striking part of this story is that Loraine reportedly learned CPR through the YMCA where she worked.

She was not responding as a paramedic or nurse.

She was simply a person nearby who happened to know what to do.

According to the original article, Loraine later described herself as shaken and humbled by what happened.

That reaction makes sense.

Performing CPR on a young child would be emotionally intense for almost anyone.

But training gave her something to fall back on when the situation became chaotic.

Parents Are Not the Only People Who Need Pediatric CPR

Parents sometimes assume they will be the person available if their child has an emergency.

That is not always what happens.

The person who responds may be:

• A grandparent
• A babysitter
• A daycare employee
• A teacher
• A coach
• A neighbor
• A relative
• A complete stranger

That is why pediatric CPR training has value far beyond parents alone.

The more people in a community who know CPR, the greater the chance that someone nearby will know what to do.

Learn CPR Before a Child Needs It

In-Pulse CPR provides hands-on American Heart Association CPR, AED, BLS, and First Aid training, including pediatric CPR skills.

👉 View Upcoming CPR and First Aid Classes

Daycares, schools, churches, businesses, and other organizations can also arrange private group training.

👉 Learn About Private On-Site CPR and First Aid Training

Nobody expects to walk past a home and suddenly be asked to help save a child’s life.

That is exactly why CPR is worth learning before the emergency happens.

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Updated October 2026: This article was originally written by Tom Sirmons and has been substantially revised to reflect the 2025 American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics pediatric CPR guidelines. The Loraine Gray story is based on the original In-Pulse CPR account; independent contemporary reporting confirming the incident could not be located.

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