When a man went into cardiac arrest and collapsed early last year, Trenton Sabo didn’t think, he acted on instinct and tried to save a life.

For his efforts, the Oxford High School senior is going to receive a national honor from the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

Sabo, an Eagle Scout with Troop 366, will be presented the Medal of Merit on Tuesday, Jan. 31 during a Court of Honor ceremony at the Oxford United Methodist Church.

This is one of four national awards the BSA presents for lifesaving and meritorious action.

The Medal of Merit is presented to a scout who “has performed an act of service (marked by) rare or exceptional character that reflects an uncommon degree of concern for the well-being of others,” according to the BSA website.

“I’m very proud that he took action to try and help someone that he didn’t even know,” said the scout’s father, Brian Sabo.

“Courageous” was the word that came to mind when Amy Sabo was asked about her son’s actions.

In early February 2016, Sabo was shooting hoops at Basketball America in Orion Township when one of the guys on his team, a 55-year-old Pontiac man named Roy Guthery III, collapsed.

“I saw him kind of shivering on the ground, so I ran over to him,” Sabo said. “At first, it seemed like he was having a seizure because he kept moving around.”

Shortly after, “the whole gym stopped,” 9-1-1 was called and everyone formed “a huge circle around the court.” Among those watching were Guthery’s two sons.

Sabo continued to assess Guthery’s condition.

“His breathing stopped,” he said. “I couldn’t feel his pulse.”

That’s when Sabo began administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Fortunately, he had been certified in the emergency procedure by the American Red Cross the year before as part of his scouting career.

“I just started to work,” he said.

Sabo administered CPR until emergency medical personnel arrived and took over.

He described the whole situation as “surreal.”

While it was happening, Sabo was hyper-focused on the task at hand. The only thing running through his mind was, “I have to save him. I have to save him. I have to save him.”

The intense emotional impact of the situation didn’t hit him until later.

“I didn’t think about it until I got home,” Sabo said. “I didn’t really sleep that night.”

“He was really upset over what had happened and not knowing what happened to Roy after they took him away,” Brian Sabo said.

Unfortunately, Guthery didn’t make it. He was pronounced dead at McLaren Oakland hospital in Pontiac.

Sabo knew from his CPR training that not everybody survives, but that “doesn’t make it any less hard.”

“I was very sad,” he said.

“Trenton was feeling very guilty that he wasn’t able to save his life,” Brian Sabo noted.

Sabo, who’s been involved in scouting since he was a second-grader at Daniel Axford Elementary, hopes the story behind his Medal of Merit will motivate others to learn CPR.

He said most people will probably never have to use the lifesaving procedure, “but it’s always nice to know it.”

“You should always be ready,” Sabo said. “(A medical emergency) could happen at any moment.”

“It’s all about helping another person out,” he added. “You should always want to save a life. I’m glad that I learned (CPR).”

Sabo is planning to attend either the University of Michigan or Michigan State University to study political science. He’s a member of the Order of the Arrow, which is scouting’s national honor society.