In a remarkable display of courage, three Concordia University Wisconsin students became real-life heroes last October when they administered life-saving CPR to a fellow student who had collapsed in his residence hall.
On March 12, the Concordia community came together to honor the heroic actions of students and celebrate CUW student Humberto Barraza’s miraculous survival and recovery.
In the media
Crews from CBS, TMJ4, and WISN came to the ceremony to capture the story of how the Concordia community rallied around one of their own. Click on the images below to access the news segments.
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WISN
Life-saving intervention
After experiencing some heart palpitations on the evening of Oct. 7, 2024, Barraza returned to his dorm room to rest. However, the situation turned dire when he collapsed suddenly and became unresponsive. CUW student Makayla Kabitzke, who was with him at the time, and one of his roommates, Aidan Batiansila, sprang into action and began to perform CPR. Two of CUW’s campus safety officers, along with another CUW student, Brooke Trendel, arrived on the scene soon after. Trendel, an athletic training major at CUW, is also a certified emergency medical technician (EMT) with the Southern Ozaukee Fire Department. The three of them continued CPR and applied a defibrillator to Barraza until city first responders arrived and transported him to a nearby hospital.
Barraza’s condition was critical. He flatlined three times throughout the evening. Yet, against all odds, he survived. He spent five days in a coma and remained in the hospital for a month. Doctors eventually diagnosed him with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that can cause an abnormally fast heart rate.
Healing in process
His recovery is ongoing, but Barraza has made significant progress. Though he still walks with a cane and experiences some memory loss due to the trauma, he is expected to make a full recovery. He plans to return to Concordia this fall to complete his bachelor’s degree in secondary education. He plans to now graduate in spring 2027.
“I’m overwhelmed by the number of people from Concordia who have reached out to me and told me they are praying for me,” says Barraza. “It’s not lost on me what a gift it is that I’m alive.”
The Concordia community gathered on Wednesday, March 12, for a special ceremony celebrating Barraza’s ongoing recovery and honoring those who helped to save his life. The event highlighted the bravery of students Batiansila, Trendel, and Kabitzke, as well as CUW Campus Safety Officers Emmitt Smith and Rick Aamodt.
“I have a son who is in college, so this hits hard knowing that Humberto is about his age,” Smith says. “We treat all of the students here like they’re our kids.”
Campus Pastor Jonathan Bakker opened the ceremony with a prayer. CUW President Erik Ankerberg followed with heartfelt remarks. Barraza’s parents, both of whom are deaf, shared their gratitude through a translator, expressing deep appreciation for the outpouring of support their son received.
An outpouring of support
Throughout Barraza’s hospitalization, Concordia students, faculty, and staff continuously visited him, providing encouragement and hope during his recovery. Students also organized a fundraising event – “Bowling for Berto” – to help offset his medical costs.
“Whenever people tell me, ‘You saved his life,’ well, no, I think God really saved my friend’s life,” says Batiansila. “I’m just so thankful my friend is alive.”
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