'He saved my life': Teen hailed a hero after rushing to big brother's aid

The 18-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest at home after an 18th birthday party on April 2, 2024 - Easter Tuesday.

His brother Same woke at 9.20am to hear "death-like snoring" and went to check on him.

"I went to wake him up to tell him to be quiet... and he wouldn't wake up," Sam told The Standard.

He said he tipped water on his brother and when Ryan didn't respond, he knew something wasn't right.

"I called triple-zero and they told me to do CPR," Sam said.

"We got him off the bed and Dad was going to start but he didn't really know what he was doing so I took over."

The Warrnambool College student had recently learnt how to perform the life-saving emergency procedure at school.

Ambulance Victoria paramedics said the teenager performed "high quality CPR" for about 10 minutes until crews arrived.

Ryan was shocked with a defibrillator six times before paramedics transported him to hospital in a critical condition.

He told The Standard he woke up in a Geelong hospital and didn't know where he was or what happened.

"I got flown there by helicopter from the ED in Warrnambool," Ryan said.

"(Sam) pretty much saved my life.

"(Thanks) is probably not enough."

Ryan has since had an internal defibrillator fitted and has made a full recovery.

Ambulance Victoria's Warrnambool team manager Tara Boyce said Sam's actions made a life-saving difference for Ryan.

"When we arrived at the scene we found Sam performing really good CPR on his brother," she said.

"We know that when a person in cardiac arrest receives CPR before paramedics arrive, their chance of survival significantly improves."

Ms Boyce joined Warrnambool paramedics and firefighters from Fire Rescue Victoria in a reunion with Ryan, Sam and their family on June 20, 2024.

Paramedics presented Sam with a commendation.

"Everything lined up for Ryan that day - he wasn't meant to die," Ms Boyce said.

"The fact that it was a public holiday so Sam was home and found him and that he knew how to do CPR, gave Ryan the best chance of surviving.

"Ryan's story shows that cardiac arrest can happen to anyone no matter their age, and that by knowing CPR, anyone can save a life."

Every day in Victoria 20 people will suffer a cardiac arrest and only one in 10 survive.

Warrnambool College principal David Clift said the school was "incredibly proud" of Sam's urgent and successful response to Ryan's cardiac arrest.

"At Warrnambool College we look to provide students with practical learning opportunities so that new knowledge isn't just learnt in theory, but by doing," he said.

"Fortunately Sam's year 11 Outdoor Education class had learnt about and practised first aid techniques, including successfully administering CPR should they ever need to.

"None of us expected Sam would have to use this lifesaving knowledge only a couple of weeks later with Ryan but we're so thankful that he had this recent learning and was able to apply it with such confidence and calm in an extremely stressful moment at home."

In March Warrnambool College praised five year-nine students who saved the lives of swimmers struggling in a rip during an outdoor education class at the city's main beach.