NORTH CANTON, Ohio — On the uniform of North Canton police officer Todd Shafer, you'll find a pin recognizing him for being awarded the Purple Heart.
In fact, he has actually received two Purple Hearts. He was injured twice from roadside bombs during tours of duty in Afghanistan when he was a radio operator attached to an infantry group for the U.S. Marine Corps between 2008 and 2016.
"Mostly, I took shrapnel in my face, arm and leg, and then, the majority was more internal like concussions, head injuries," Shafer said.
Shafer told News 5 that his medical training in the Marines was invaluable, and that proved to be crucial just five months into his job at North Canton PD.
Shafer was in the department's parking lot on the afternoon of March 16 when he heard a call come in about an unresponsive 16-year-old boy on the YMCA basketball court.
During the call, the operator asked, "Is he breathing? Can you tell me if he's breathing?" The caller responded, "I don't know if he's breathing."
Shafer jumped in his cruiser, drove to the nearby YMCA and was in the gym in less than two minutes. He said the boy had turned blue and was not breathing.
Body camera video captured the officer quickly giving chest compressions over and over again while talking to the teen.
"Come on, man. Come back," Shafer could be heard saying.
I asked what was going through his mind during those stressful moments, and Shafer said, "Everything. You don't want to see that."
About a minute into CPR, the boy started breathing.
Another teen is heard on the video saying, "There you go."
But then, the boy stopped breathing again, and the officer resumed CPR.
A short time later, paramedics arrived, continued compressions and the teen was revived on the way to a hospital and survived.
When asked whether he sees himself as a hero, Shafer said, "I don't, but a lot of people tell me I should. I feel like it's within the job."
However, the boy's grandmother, Barb Jones, said Shafer is indeed a hero to the family.
"The officer gave him back to us. Him and God. How could you not be grateful for that?" Jones said.
Family members said it turned out the teen had a heart condition that wasn't diagnosed prior to his medical emergency at the YMCA.
"He had too many electrical things in his heart and I guess it caused double beating for the heart," Jones said.
Shafer, who is married with three children, said it was a day that he'll never forget, the type of day that changes you.
"It just kind of makes you appreciate life a little bit more," he said.
Jones said Shafer will "forever be in our hearts," and there will always be a special bond between the Marine-turned-officer and the teen whose life was saved.
"Honestly, I hope that he's doing well, and if they need anything, to not hesitate to reach out to either myself personally or the North Canton Police Department because we're obviously here for them," Shafer said.
Jones said her grandson is doing well after undergoing two surgeries. He has been resting at home and working on several physical therapy appointments.
Coincidentally, another North Canton police officer also helped save a life on the same day that Shafer rescued the teen.
A woman went unresponsive inside a home, and Officer Alexis Keeton performed CPR. The woman regained consciousness. She was taken to a hospital for treatment and is doing well now, according to police.
Both Shafer and Keeton were recognized for their life-saving actions by North Canton Police Chief Frank Kemp.
