Photo provided by OCVTS
It’s a good thing Ariana Leonardis was paying attention in class on Thursday.
She’s a student in the Human Development & Child Care Program at the Ocean County Vocational Technical School’s Brick Center and had just finished learning CPR.
Little did Leonardis know her resuscitation skills would be put to the test, only two days later.
Tuckerton Girl Saves Infant’s Life With CPR
Leonardis was walking with her cousin in Tuckerton Saturday night when they heard a man yelling for help.
Despite a language barrier, they were able to quickly figure out an infant was in distress.
“My cousin walked over, and a lady who also was there said she didn’t speak much English and to call 911,” Leonardis said.
“After he called the police, the woman told me her baby wasn’t breathing, and I asked for permission to perform CPR.”
“I performed CPR and got her three-week-old baby to breathe again, and shortly after, EMS and police arrived. They told me I did a great job, took my information, and thanked me.”
Knowledge Is Power
Cherie Garrison Horhay, owner of Hands-on CPR Training in Toms River, learned about Leonardis’ heroic efforts on Monday, when she returned to OCVTS to teach the First Aid portion to the class.
“Knowledge is power. Knowing what to do in an emergency situation gives you the power to act,” Horhay said.
First Aid and CPR training is a requirement for OCVTS students as part of the application process for the industry-standard credential, the Child Development Associate.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Michelle Keenan, Leonardis’ instructor at OCVTS, after learning about how she sprang into action.
“Ariana was so brave and calm that she was able to act and apply her knowledge.”
Keenan added, “Ariana is an excellent student. She has great energy, is responsible, and is an active participant in our classroom.”
This article originally appeared Oct. 27, 2026 in New Jersey 101.5.
