Coligny Plaza, restaurant staff jump into action and help child not breathing

On one of Coligny Beach Park's busiest days of the year, staff from the Coligny Plaza and the Sandbar Beach Eats restaurant helped a 6-year-old boy on the July 4th holiday.

Hilton Head Island Fire spokesperson and fire marshal Joheida Fister said the child was alert and crying when the ambulance arrived at Coligny Plaza. She said he was transported to the hospital, but first responders think he may have been overheated.

The child was not breathing when his family stopped at Sandbar Beach Eats to ask for help, according to accounts from those at the restaurant. A Coastal Security Guard contracted by Coligny Plaza quickly started to administer CPR, a spokesman for the security company said Wednesday.

Employees, staff and customers at the restaurant stopped everything to help in whatever way possible, Denis Lepine, restaurant manager and consultant, said Wednesday.

"We put everything aside," Lepine said. "We didn't even take time to explain to customers."

Lepine said he was first alerted to the situation when a woman obviously in distress started asking for help.

"It was very emotional," Lepine said. "I didn't know what it was but I knew something was wrong."

Lepine has CPR training and quickly ran to the child and checked his vitals. He said the child was conscious by the time he arrived.

The next concern was traffic.

"I had to stand in the middle of Pope to stop traffic for the ambulance," Lepine said. "A customer helped."

Melissa Harrison, Coastal Security director of marketing and operations, said her company is there exactly for this reason.

"We are there for the welfare of the patrons," Harrison said. "We are there for emergencies. We are very proud of the way this officer responded."

Lee Lucier, General Manager of the Plaza, said he is blown away by how quickly the officer and staff at the restaurant reacted.

"It makes me proud of the entire facility," Lucier said. "It is life-changing for this family."

This story was originally published July 4, 2018 at 6:08 PM.