Weiser student saves man’s life

On Tuesday, May 17, Weiser High School junior Kasey Kautz drove by Fry Foods when he noticed a man leaning over a ladder on the side of the road. At first glance, it looked as though he may have just been stretching but, then again, something did not seem quite right.

So, he pulled into the Bi-Mart parking lot and called out to the man to see if he could hear him and to check if things were okay. 

 When the man didn’t respond, Kautz decided to get closer, and found the man unresponsive. He checked for a pulse, which was strong, but noticed labored breathing, which he knew could be signs of a stroke. 

 Kautz, who quickly dialed 911, had been taking the Emergency Medical Responder course taught by Bowe von Brethorst and was aware how important every minute could be in this type of situation. 

 The class had recently gone over the signs of stroke and what to do in similar scenarios. He described the signs of stroke, including the strong pulse and agonal breathing, to the dispatcher over his phone and stayed on the line while he waited for emergency personnel to arrive. 

 The first police officer arrived within three minutes and immediately began asking Kautz if he knew whether the man had a history of diabetes. Kautz did not know the man and, therefore, was not aware of his medical history.

Kautz later learned that the unresponsive man was Tom Keffer who suffered from a stroke caused by an aneurysm. Although Keffer will have a long road to recovery, he will survive thanks to Kautz. By being observant and choosing to help, he was able to save a life. 

 While Kautz did not know the patient, he was the right person, in the right place, at the right time. 

 He plans to continue his health occupation education with the EMT basic class on his way to studying to become a doctor. 

 Last spring, Kautz job shadowed Dr. Lore Wootton at Two Rivers Medical Clinic in and was recently elected as the student body president, all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Kautz did not know Keffer, but his parents, Kim and Ben Kautz, are acquainted with the Keffer family. Tom’s wife, Spring, provided an update on Tom’s status.

After being transported to Boise, Keffer underwent five and a half hours of brain surgery. Although he is still in severe condition, doctors are hopeful that he will be able to recover. Spring told Kautz that he was a true hero and an example to others.

“Most people these days, let alone a young man, would never have done what he did,” she said. “I know his mom and dad, but Tom is a stranger to him. I am just forever thankful that a young man took the time to notice something out of the ordinary, and act on it. He saved my husband’s life.”

Kautz does not even remember why he wanted to go to Ridley’s that day, but he believes he was absolutely where he needed to be.

“There’s no way I’m not going into the medical field now,” Kautz said to his mom when he arrived home.