Several years ago, Davion Dawson used CPR to save a life.
Little did he know that he’d get to use his skills again, and with the same positive results.
On December 5th, DeSoto LaQuinta Inn Front Desk Supervisor Davion Dawson was multitasking as usual; assisting customers at the front desk while simultaneously talking to his hotel’s general manager on the phone.
Then he heard a commotion from around the corner and people yelling that a child had just drowned in the hotel’s hot tub.
Dawson stopped, threw down the phone and went on to perform heroics that even left DeSoto’s first responders in awe.
On December 15th, representatives from DeSoto Fire Rescue and Police departments joined officials from LaQuinta and the Wyndham Hotel Group to honor Dawson for bringing the drowned Dallas toddler back to life.
“I just hung up and said ‘just give the child to me and let me perform CPR on him,'” said Davion Dawson who had previously used CPR to save a fallen guest. “I started performing CPR on him. The child, he wasn’t breathing. He wasn’t responding, but then when I started performing CPR, that’s when he started responding to me.”
Dawson said he couldn’t believe it was happening again and throughout the entire process he said he kept thinking about one thing, “Please don’t let this child die. Please DO NOT let this child die! I know there’s a lot going on with COVID and stuff, but I was willing to risk catching COVID to save this child’s life.”
Dawson said he told the three-year-old, “You have your whole life ahead of you!”
DeSoto Fire Rescue EMS Division Chief Bryan Whitacre was at Tuesday’s gathering and told Dawson that without question his intervention prevented a tragedy, “Speaking with my medics and reading the reports there is no doubt if you hadn’t started the bi standard CPR that child would not have made it. They were in ICU. The child is now out of ICU and is supposed to be released from the hospital this week!”
Whitacre continued, “Everything I’ve heard so far, it sounds like everything is going to be good, and he’s going to be out for Christmas and everybody is going to be happy.”
Dawson’s boss, DeSoto LaQuinta Inn General Manager Jill Jones, said of her employee, “I’m just glad that the baby is safe and that Davion is part of the team. Davion has been working for me for nearly 11 years with La Quinta and he’s a great asset to the company.”
Apparently the company agrees as Wyndham Franchise Director Amy Armstrong was on hand to thank Dawson and present him with a certificate good for 30,000 Wyndham Rewards Points.
In addition to the honors, DeSoto’s City Management and elected officials will plan a more formal recognition of Dawson’s lifesaving actions in the future when the immediate threat from the Coronavirus pandemic has lifted.
