News Report
The American Red Cross Tampa Bay Chapter presented the distinguished Certificate of Merit to Lithia resident Francois Tort for using his Red Cross training to save the life of another - his father, Eric Tort.
In a strange twist of events, his father then used the same technique to save someone else's life.
The Certificate of Merit is awarded to a nominated individual who
saves or sustains a human life and successfully completes a Red Cross course in first aid, CPR, AED or aquatics prior to the performance of the lifesaving or life-sustaining act.
The certificate is signed by the President of the United States and the chairman of the American Red Cross; and the award package includes the certificate, citation and medals.
Eric Tort was having dinner with his family when he began to choke on a
piece of steak. Putting his Red Cross training to the test, Francois Tort calmly used two abdominal thrusts to dislodge the piece of meat, preventing his father from chocking to death.
A few weeks later, Eric Tort was attending a business meeting when an
associate began to choke. Recalling what he son had done, Eric Tort used the same technique to "pay it forward" and save his associate's life.
With his father present, Francois Tort received his certificate July 25 at the American Red Cross Tampa Bay Chapter, 3310 W. Main St., Tampa.
