• Aprill Brandon •
• Originally published May 25, 2008 at 12:28 a.m., updated May 25, 2008 at 12:28 a.m.

Last Sunday’s quietness turned into a life-or-death situation for two young brothers and their grandfather.

Luckily, it ended with life and with two young boys emerging as heroes.

Louis Resendez, 13, and Marcus Resendez, 12, were at home alone with their grandfather when suddenly his hand started to twitch. Louis said shortly thereafter their grandfather, Jose Garcia, 52, began shaking all over.

“His whole body was shaking and then he fell off the couch into a seizure,” Louis said. “I didn’t know what was going on. I started crying and then grabbed the phone to call 911.”

That quick action helped save their grandfather’s life. He is a diabetic with severe complications, the boy’s mother, Nicole Garcia, said.

Once the ambulance arrived, Louis took his 7-year-old sister, Elizabeth, outside while Marcus showed the paramedics all the medications their grandfather was taking.

“What made it so amazing is that they were able to keep a cool head, dial 911, follow the dispatcher’s directions and help the paramedics, rather than panicking and calling their mother or myself first,” the boys’ aunt, Kim Perez, said. “There were critical minutes that were saved because of that. In my eyes, there is no doubt these boys are heroes.”

Perez added that the prognosis looks good for the boys’ grandfather, who is in the intensive care unit at Citizens Medical Center.

Sitting in the hospital waiting room surrounded by their family, the boys became a little emotional retelling their story, especially Marcus, who started to tear up.

“They are very close with their grandfather. I mean, he has been there for these boys since the day they were born,” Garcia said. “He’s not only their grandfather, but also the father they never had, their best friend and their disciplinarian.”

Perez added that while their grandfather was sedated and unconscious, Marcus would go into the ICU to talk to him, even sneaking back in after the rest of the family had left.

“When he woke up, we asked him if he could hear Marcus and he smiled and said, ‘Yes, I could,” she said.

Both boys said they don’t consider themselves heroes and credit their schools, Crain Middle School and Smith Elementary, for teaching them what to do in an emergency.

Victoria school district communications specialist Diane Boyett said from a young age, students are exposed to police officers, paramedics and firefighters who come into the schools and teach them what to do if there is an emergency.

And although the boys’ family is proud that they managed to keep their emotions at bay long enough to save their grandfather’s life, on the inside, they were still just two young boys scared they might lose their grandfather, Louis said.

“Oh, I didn’t think we kept a cool head. I mean I was panicking on the inside,” Louis said smiling. “We were both crying and had no idea what was going on. But I’m glad he’s better now.”

Aprill Brandon is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6514 or abrandon@vicad.com, or comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.

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