Student nurse mourns death of man she tried to save

A student nurse shared on social media how she tried to save the life of a man who died from electrocution during the onslaught of Tropical Storm (TS) Enteng.

In a now-viral Facebook post, Zain Cortez shared how she witnessed firsthand the death of a 57-year-old man while she was trying to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in Naga City.

“I saw his family, desperately wanting their father to survive. Lahat sila sinasabihan na ako na tumigil na kasi wala na daw (They are all telling me to stop), but I couldn’t bring myself to give up,” Cortez recalled. 

“I kept going, kept trying, hoping against hope that just a few more compressions might bring him back,” she said.

But after what felt like countless attempts, Cortez realized there was nothing more she could do.

“I walked home umiiyak and basang basa (drenched in rain), and when I finally arrived and saw my dad, I couldn’t hold back anymore, I broke down,” she wrote. 

As a first aider and nursing student, Cortez said the experience was “profoundly painful and heavy” on her heart.

“My mind was plagued with 'what ifs' wondering if I could have done something to save him,” she added.

Cortez then encouraged the public to study basic life support, such as CPR.

“Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, and often without warning,” she continued.

“Knowing basic life support can turn a crisis into a chance for survival. Equip yourself with life-saving skills because every second counts when it matters most.”

The victim, identified as “Juancho,” died after being electrocuted during the height of the flooding Monday night in Spillway, Barangay Concepcion Pequeña, Naga City.

Based on the initial investigation, while the victim was looking at his shop in the area of ​​the incident, he was accidentally electrocuted. 

At least 13 people have died due to TS Enteng.