TAMPA – Derek Stock was honored by the Tampa Bay Lightning as an AdventHealth Goal Getter for spreading awareness about the importance of CPR in the community, after he saved the life of his son, Levi.
Levi was struck by lightning 2.5 years ago while boating.
The family was enjoying an afternoon on their boat but noticed storm clouds off in the distance, so they decided to be proactive and head back in. When they were getting ready to dock, Derek saw his son struck by lightning.
“I saw the strike go through him,” Derek said. “Never forget the moment, it’s the most powerful force I’ve ever felt in my life. It just rocked me back sitting on the little center console boat.”
Derek, who was CPR trained and certified, saved his son’s life.
“I started compressions and CPR immediately, he wasn’t breathing, he wasn’t responding. My wife dialed 911. In that time and it kind of felt like an eternity going through that, but it was only four minutes before the ambulance showed up,” Stock said. “My wife stayed there (at the hospital) and at 2 a.m. she texted me, ‘he said three words,’ so that was a blessing, and a prayer answered.”
Levi has since made a full recovery.
Since the incident, Stock has made CPR training and education his mission and he continues to work across the Tampa Bay area to share how important it is for people to know how to do it.
“You can watch a lot of videos online and see how CPR is done but I’m so thankful, it was almost like it was second nature,” Stock said. “I really support the goal of the American Heart Association to have one person in each household trained in CPR. There are things where a perfectly healthy person could need CPR and you just don’t want to not be equipped.”
The family received a standing ovation from the crowd of thousands in attendance to see the Lightning play the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 4 at Amalie Arena. Levi was also surprised with an autographed jersey of star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, his favorite player, from AdventHealth.
To further honor Derek, AdventHealth is also providing 100 CPR Anytime Kits for the American Heart Association in his name.
Hundreds of AdventHealth team members and their families came out to the Feb. 4 game, which was designated as Health and Wellness Night.
