SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – A Spartanburg teenager has been recognized in the Upstate for performing CPR to help save his father’s life.

The heroic 14-year-old boy, Amir Harris, is a student at Carver Middle School. He was honored at a Spartanburg City Council meeting Monday night.

“My heart stopped beating and I stopped breathing,” said Keith Sortor.

Earlier this year, Sortor said he had an allergic reaction to his blood pressure medication.

His wife started doing chest compressions, and his youngest child stepped in to help.

“I know that if he hadn’t of been there, I don’t know what would have happened,” said Sortor.

Harris said at first, he didn’t know what was going on, just that his dad wasn’t breathing.

“I took him off the bed, I flipped him over on his back and I gave him sternum rubs,” he said.

While his mom was on the phone with 911, the middle schooler did all he could to help get his dad oxygen.

“I was never trained to do CPR, I just did it off of instinct and knowing that Oxygen has to get to the brain,” said Harris.

Trisha Wright is a School Resource Officer, through the Spartanburg Police Department, working at Carver Middle School. Wright said learning CPR is essential.

“I feel like it’s very important because you never know when there’s going to be a medical emergency,” she said.

The SRO said they get recertified every two years, but feels like it would be beneficial for students to learn the skill, as well.

“Overall, that’s our next generation. So, it would be great to teach them and just keep teaching them as they go up to high school,” said Wright.

The father and son are a close duo and when Sortor got out of the hospital, said he couldn’t wait to see his son.

“I just hugged on him and loved on him, and I think we stayed up all night just chit-chatting and just crying and loving on each other,” said Sortor.

Harris said it was an honor to be recognized by the city for something so positive.

“It felt amazing for getting recognized for what I did,” said the middle schooler.

He said he will always be thankful that he is still able to hug his dad.

“I’m glad I did it, I knew he would have did it for me,” said Harris.

Harris told 7NEWS that he plans to get CPR certified in case he ever needs to help save another life.