STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – The July Go 4 It event focuses on first aid basics, essential skills for handling everyday injuries, and preparing for real emergencies.
Local 4 met a family who shared the story of a Metro Detroit family that knows just how vital these skills are.
As an emergency physician, Dr. Frank McGeorge said he was prepared to handle medical emergencies better than most people.
But in many cases, you don’t need to be a doctor to make a difference. You need some basic skills and the willingness to act.
McGeorge highlighted the example of a Sterling Heights teenager who used his first aid training to save his mother’s life.
Three years ago, the Yakubesan family was having dinner when Jennifer Yakubesan suddenly began choking.
“I started choking and I couldn’t get it up,” said Jennifer. “I stood up and started pounding my chest. That’s when my son Drew and my husband noticed something was wrong. I made a gasping motion so they could see I needed help.”
Drew, then 13, had been trained in first aid through the Boy Scouts.
“I got up without hesitation, got behind her, and performed the Heimlich maneuver,” Drew said. “That didn’t fully work, so I hit her between the shoulder blades hard enough to dislodge the food. She spit it out, and that was a great relief for all of us.”
Dr. McGeorge asked Drew if he would have been able to help his mother without his scouting training.
“Maybe a little, but I certainly wouldn’t have known the Heimlich maneuver,” Drew said. “I had no hesitation because of the training I received over multiple years of scouting.”
Jennifer emphasized the importance of her son’s skills at that moment.
“Hundred percent, thousand percent,” Jennifer said. “If he hadn’t known, I don’t know that I would be here.”
Jennifer also stressed the value of first aid training for everyone, whether involved in scouting or not.
“Without it, you could be a bystander to someone dying,” Jennifer said. “And then what are you going to feel like if you could have helped but didn’t have the skills?”
The free first aid basics class will be offered on July 15, 2025, starting at 10 a.m. and running until 6 p.m. at the University of Michigan Dearborn’s Fairlane Center South, 19000 Hubbard Drive in Dearborn.
Walk-ins are welcome, but signing up is encouraged as some time slots may fill up.
Bring a friend or come by yourself — the event is open to all who want to be better prepared to help in emergencies.