16-year-old Elias Mostafa performs life-saving CPR on elderly man outside Total Tools Rockingham

A teenage tool shop worker has been hailed a life-saving hero after he helped “bring back” an unconscious man in Rockingham.

Elias Mostafa was assisting a customer when he heard calls for help from outside Total Tools Rockingham, where 81-year-old Paul Reddick was unconscious in a wheelchair.

Jumping into action immediately, the 16-year-old said he used first-aid training he recently learned from army and police cadets to perform life-saving CPR while his colleague Jasmin Gostlin called an ambulance.

Elias took Mr Reddick from his wheelchair and placed him on a nearby grassed area, where he first assessed that the elderly man wasn’t breathing and then performed two cycles of CPR which brought him back to consciousness.

“It’s the first time I’ve had to use that training and it felt amazing to be in a situation where I was able to help,” Elias said of the November 21 incident.

“Being able to give back to the community and help someone was an awesome feeling and I’m so glad the man is OK.”

Mr Reddick’s son Chris — who had been with his father at the time of the incident — was immensely grateful for the teenager’s life-saving actions and can-do attitude.

“I couldn’t thank him enough,” Chris said.

“I’ve seen this happen to my dad before, so in that moment it just brought back those memories and I kind of froze.

“Without Elias doing what he did, I think I would have lost my dad that day.”

While the action was unfolding on the grass, another person had run to the Rockingham Fire Brigade next door. Firefighters quickly attended and monitored Mr Reddick until an ambulance arrived.

Elias’ co-workers at Total Tools were also amazed and impressed.

“If it wasn’t for Eli, I don’t know what would have happened,” fellow worker Ms Gostlin said.

“His quick thinking and ability to stay calm was key.”

The extremely humble Elias, meanwhile, said it simply showed the vital importance of knowing first aid because you never know when an emergency will arise.

Mr Reddick has made a full recovery and said he still can’t believe it was a 16-year-old who saved him.

He was released from hospital last Friday and on Monday made a beeline for the tool shop where Elias works to thank him in person.

“He was absolutely fantastic; at 16 years old he did really well and it goes to show those first aid courses are worth their weight in gold,” Mr Reddick said.

Total Tools Rockingham franchisee Nathan Bowden said Elias was outstanding and the dramatic situation was handled as well as it could have been.

“He’s a very proactive young man and he had the incident well under control,” Mr Bowden said.

“It just goes to show being trained in emergency services is very important. He did really well and it was as good an outcome as you can hope.”