Kindness of Strangers, CPR Save Two Lives in One Day

The deft application of CPR by bystanders was credited Thursday with saving the lives of two Orange County residents: one a toddler who fell into a spa, the other a senior citizen who had a heart attack at a real estate office.

“The willingness to get involved is the biggest factor in saving a life,” said Martha Werth, spokeswoman for the Huntington Beach Fire Dept., which was involved in the man’s rescue.

Robert Armenio, 73, suffered a heart attack, collapsed and stopped breathing about 1 p.m. Wednesday while visiting the ERA/Rafferty & Lloyd Real Estate office in Huntington Beach.

“The gentleman was black and blue,” said Lorena Batchelor, an agent in the office on Bolsa Chica Street. “He . . . was gasping for air. His eyes were open and kind of rolled back. I was so scared that the tips of my fingers were numb.”

Batchelor had the presence of mind, nonetheless, to administer CPR with the help of another agent, Deanna O’Toole, while receptionist Barbara Jones called 911 and relayed instructions from the operator.

“These women are definitely heroines,” Werth said. “Had they not done this, the man probably would have been dead.”

Paramedics took Armenio to Huntington Beach Medical Center, where he was in good condition and expected to be released today. .

The second lifesaving effort came from Nina Varkel, 37, of Irvine who noticed a 2-year-old boy at the bottom of a spa Wednesday at the Park West Apartments, 3800 Parkview Lane, where she lives.

“He’d been there for at least five minutes, I’m sure,” Varkel said. “I jumped in and got him out. His mother grabbed him from me and was in a total panic . . . screaming. I yelled at her to put him down and started giving him mouth to mouth. I gave him a few breaths, he spewed up but still wasn’t breathing, so I gave him some more and he started breathing.”

A spokesman for the Orange County Fire Authority said that Varkel’s quick thinking definitely saved the child’s life.

“She’s the heroine of this story,” Gary Layman said. “Had she not intervened and brought the boy out, the outcome would have been different--he would either have succumbed or, maybe even worse, have a permanent brain deficit.”

The child--whom Layman declined to identify--was taken to Children’s Hospital of Orange County where he was released Thursday.

Both the Huntington Beach Fire Department and the Orange County Fire Authority are planning formal ceremonies to congratulate the heroes.

“We encourage everyone to learn CPR,” Layman said.