Teen life-saver lauded as ‘Real Hero’ by Red Cross

WASILLA — Taylia Hardy’s first meeting with Anthony Keller Oct. 2, 2011, was brief, only a couple minutes, but those minutes were the difference between life and death.

That’s the day Keller, then a 15-year-old high school sophomore from Wasilla, saved Hardy after the 5-year-old emerged blue and unresponsive from a Kenai hotel hot tub. Keller administered CPR and revived the little girl. Shortly after news of Keller’s actions got out, the teen was lauded by Kenai emergency responders and honored with a proclamation for heroism from Wasilla Mayor Verne Rupright.

Today the American Red Cross of Alaska and ConocoPhillips will recognize Keller as one of Alaska’s “Real Heroes.” He’s one of 26 people who will be featured at the Real Heroes Breakfast at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage. His efforts earned him the Red Cross’ Youth Good Samaritan award.

Monday afternoon, Hardy was happy after placing fourth out of 745 wrestlers for most pins at a weekend tournament, said her mother, Cathy Nix. It’s a moment that almost wasn’t, something Nix said she thinks about often. She’s also pleased the Red Cross of Alaska has noticed Keller’s life-saving actions.

“He’s definitely deserving of it,” she said, while also excitedly talking about her daughter’s exploits on the youth wrestling mat. It’s an excitement that mirrors the fear she expressed shortly after the accident where Nix recalled almost losing her daughter.

“I couldn’t breathe, I was hyperventilating,” she recalled feeling after her daughter was pulled blue and unresponsive from the hot tub. “I can’t tell you, it’s the worst thing ever, ever. I kept thinking, ‘This is how it feels to lose a baby.’ I started praying. I couldn’t even cry, and I remember thinking how fast this was going by.”

Perhaps those prayers were answered, as by coincidence, Keller was staying at the same hotel and happened to be passing by the pool area when he heard the question that possibly saved Hardy’s life.

“Does anyone know CPR?”

In fact, Keller does, and had been certified in child CPR just a couple months earlier. He would later learn he passed that training on Hardy’s birthday, Aug. 12.

“I was at the hotel and some guy came running out to the office and said there’s a drowning,” Keller said when recalling the incident. “I ran back to the pool and I guess she was drowning in the hot tub. Some lady pulled her out and pretty much everybody was just freaking out. I was the only one there who knew CPR. After I gave her 30 chest compressions, then I gave her some breaths, and she started breathing again.”

While Keller was modest talking about being labeled a “hero,” others weren’t as bashful. Prior to the mayor’s proclamation presentation, Kenai Fire Chief Michael Tilley said he was impressed to see a teenager step up.

“From what was described to me, the child was unconscious and blue in nature, which obviously makes you believe she was not breathing,” Tilley said. “Having someone like Anthony step up ultimately saved the girl’s life. … It was very encouraging to see someone this young to have the maturity and the courage to step up. He saved a life that day.”

Keller was also named one of two youth recognized in March at the annual Sprit of Youth Awards Banquet.

Keller has since moved to Michigan and attends high school there, but said by email prior to the Spirit of Youth event that his encounter with Hardy was life-changing for both of them.

“The way it has affected me in the last months … is that I’m, like, prepared and ready for anything,” he said. “I am thankful for all this opportunity and everyone doing this for me! I just am speechless on it, like, I never thought everyone would be honoring me!”

Today’s Real Heroes Breakfast will recount the stories of 26 acts of heroism throughout the state in 2011.

View this story online at Frontiersman.com to read brief synopses of all the Real Heroes Award recipients.

Contact reporter Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.