A Carson City ninth-grader is being hailed as a hero for saving her father's life by applying the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques she studied in her health science class at Carson High School.
The life-saving techniques that Iris Ibarra Montes would remember and apply to save her father after he passed out at home due to a medical emergency were practiced in class just two weeks previously.
She said that after recognizing the warning signs of cardiac arrest, she contacted 911 and started administering life-saving chest compressions right away.
While waiting for paramedics to come, Iris conducted CPR for over ten minutes without the presence of any other adults in the house.
She gives credit to her "Principles of Health Science" instructor, Frank Sakelarios, stating that without his practical instruction and the skills she learned in his class, she would not have known how to respond in the circumstance.
When paramedics arrived, they discovered the father unconscious, but they managed to revive him.
Paramedics said that before they took her father to the hospital, Iris' prompt and efficient action had helped to stabilize his condition.
With an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), her father is currently recuperating, but a full recovery is anticipated.
At Carson High School, the Principles of Health Science class is more than just an introduction to healthcare—as seen here, it’s a lifeline.
The course teaches students critical skills like CPR, first aid, and emergency response as part of the school’s hands-on Career and Technical Education program.
For Ibarra Montes, what started as just another class became the reason her father is alive today.
When he collapsed at home, she didn’t panic—she acted. Drawing on the CPR training she received in class, she brought him back from the brink.
That day, everything she learned came rushing back—and in those crucial moments, it made all the difference. In that instant, she wasn’t just a student. She was a hero.
“Frank and I certify close to 200 students each year in the American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR/AED for healthcare professionals,” said Kelly Gustafson, health sciences teacher and HOSA advisor.
“This is a level above most CPR cardholders and includes infant through adult, two-person, and team BLS.”
Gustafson added that the training students receive at Carson High makes them more qualified than most teachers and coaches, who are typically only Heart-Saver CPR certified.
Iris has a 3.43 grade point average (GPA), placing her in the top 20% of her class, according to her school counselor, Maddie Hull-Taylor. After working with the paramedics and nurses who saved her dad's life, Iris intends to continue her medical studies and pursue a career in nursing.
She is slated to enroll in the HOSA program for sports medicine next year.
After taking a week off to spend time with her family, Iris expressed her excitement about returning to school. She was eager to return to class after hearing how proud her teachers were of her.
