When a Scoutmaster suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on a nearby trail, Scouts Drew N. and Jacob E. ran to his aid.

The Scouts, who are from the Boy Scouts of America Mount Baker Council, were working as lifeguards at their local Scout camp and had to run barefoot along a gravel trail to reach the spot where Scoutmaster Bill Hoffman had collapsed.

Upon arriving at the scene, the Scouts discovered that Scoutmaster Hoffman did not have a pulse, and they immediately put their Scout training into action to provide CPR. Because he had suffered cardiac arrest, they worked on providing aid to Hoffman for 12 minutes while waiting for medics to arrive.

“He flat-lined, his heart stopped, they couldn’t find a pulse,” Tracie Hoffman, his wife, said. “It’s a miracle story. It really is. They gave me my husband back.”

“It’s just really intense to think about this guy was clinically dead and he’s back now,” said Drew.

Jacob credited his Scout training for helping him be prepared to save a life.

“Be prepared,” he said. “It’s nice to be prepared. Having lots of training is good.”

Jacob had completed a CPR refresher course just two weeks prior.

The Scoutmaster, who doctors say should make a full recovery from this incident of cardiac arrest, has two Eagle Scout sons and has been part of Scouting for 33 years. He was thankful for the boys’ dedication to learning lifesaving skills.

“In seeing Jacob and Drew enact this, it was so rewarding to Bill that he wants to thank them for taking it seriously,” Tracie said. “[They] gave four children their father back.”

To learn more about how Drew and Jacob put their Scouting skills to use to save the life of a Scoutmaster who suffered cardiac arrest, be sure to see the full story at KomoNews.com.