His instructor told him he would never use his first-aid training, but he has.

Keith Gibson, as well as Anne McNamara and Helen Donnelly, are recognized as heroes, and were each given a plaque on Tuesday, thanking them for their role in potentially saving a life.

Gibson, who volunteers at the Ridge Meadows Hospice Thrift Store, was working at the back of the store when he heard a commotion outside at the donation/drop-off door on Feb. 5.

He figured it was kids rummaging through donated toys he hadn't had time to bring in yet.

Gibson went outside, and stumbled across a hysterical mother and a boy who wasn't breathing.

His training took over. He began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions on the blue boy until the ambulance arrived.

Meanwhile, Helen Donnelly and Anne McNamara took two other children that were with the mother inside, to read and to play with toys - distracting them from the chaos.

"You do these things because you need to," said Donnelly, a special education assistant at Edith McDermott Elementary. "It's the right thing to do, and I'm very proud to be part of this."

"Staff was in the back and didn't know what was going on. It was the volunteers who reigned in and took control of the situation," said store manager Paige Charron, who added the little boy is doing fine.

This is the second time Gibson has saved a child - the first time was in Sicamous in 1983.

"It seems to be my connection to God, that I'm in the right place when I'm needed," said Gibson. "I'm privileged."

smclaren@mrtimes.com