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Chancing upon an elderly man lying on the ground and rapidly losing consciousness, a Primary Five student immediately scrambled to get help, running to a nearby supermarket and a police post.

The efforts of Shreeram Subramanyam effectively saved the elderly man's life, wrote the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in an email to his principal at St Andrew's Junior School.

Impressed by his compassion and public spiritedness, Shreeram was presented with the SCDF Community Lifesaver Award, according to a Facebook post by the St Andrew's Alumni page.

Rapidly losing consciousness, no longer responding

The post, which reproduced SCDF's email, shared that Shreeram had been on his way for a tuition class on Mar. 23, 2021, at around 4:45pm, when he noticed the elderly man nearby the Potong Pasir Community Centre.

Upon checking with the man — who was lying on the ground and seemed to be in pain — the boy realised that the former was losing consciousness and no longer responding.

"Shreeram immediately proceeded to seek help from the people around," wrote Chng Lip Ern, the First SCDF Division's head of community engagement.

"As no one at the bus stop had stepped forth to assist the old man, Shreeram ran towards a neighbouring supermarket, and the adjacent ATM area to notify the people he chanced upon."

Shreeram also dashed to a neighbourhood police post to appeal for help there.

In the meantime, two men previously approached by Shreeram, attended to the elderly man, performing CPR and successfully sustaining his life until the SCDF responders arrived and conveyed him to the hospital.

The student only boarded his bus to Toa Payoh and resumed his journey to tuition after knowing that the elderly man was being cared for.

"A young hero"

Noting his prompt actions without hesitation and his perseverance, Chng said that Shreeram was "truly a Samaritan".

"A young hero that our society should be proud of," he added.

Chng said that he was writing to St Andrew's in the hope that Shreeram's story would inspire others among the young population to help those in distress.

"Well done lad!," wrote St Andrew's Alumni page.

"Up and on!"

Top image from St Andrew's Alumni Facebook page