Nashoba Tech Student From Chelmsford Saves Co-Worker’s Life

CHELMSFORD, MA — Savanna Goodin, a Chelmsford resident and senior at Nashoba Tech, is being credited with helping to save the life of a co-worker at Walgreens in Lowell.

On Jan. 22 around 10 p.m., the 17-year old was at the end of her shift at Walgreens Pharmacy, where she works through Nashoba Tech’s Cooperative Education program, when a co-worker collapsed behind the counter.

“I was literally 10 seconds away from clocking out,” said Goodin in a statement. “I went to lock my screen, and I heard a thud then heard a customer scream, ‘Hey!’”

Savanna, who is a Health Assisting student, immediately jumped into action, using lifesaving techniques she learned in school.

“When I realized he wasn’t breathing and was starting to turn blue, something just snapped inside me and I thought, ‘I have to do this, and I have to do this now,’” she said. I told my co-workers, ‘I have to do CPR.’”

A pharmacist rushed to the front of the store and helped by doing the breathing portion of CPR while Goodin performed chest compressions. Another employee called 911 and put the dispatcher on speakerphone.

“They were relaying information while Savanna and the pharmacist worked on him,” said Denise Quigley, the store manager, in a statement.

When EMTs got there, they brought the man by stretcher into an ambulance, where they continued emergency lifesaving techniques before transporting him to Lowell General Hospital. The man was in the midst of a massive heart attack and required surgery.

The EMTs told Goodin he would likely have died if she hadn’t jumped into action.

“I'm really proud of the way she recognized and responded to the emergency,” said Nashoba Tech Health Assisting instructor Theresa Ristaino in a statement. “Not everyone has the capacity to think clearly and react appropriately when an emergency presents itself.”

“If this situation is any indication of her abilities, Savanna will be an excellent health-care provider,” said Quigley.