For 21-year-old Manny Orozco Ballestas, helping an unknown classmate who had collapsed took no second thoughts. Waiting in the hallways for one of his classes at the University of Central Florida, he suddenly heard a commotion coming out of one of the classrooms.

“Within 30 seconds I heard a kid say, ‘Where is the AED machine?’” Orozco Ballestas told ABC News. “I asked him to take me to him and that’s when I encountered Michael.”

Orozco Ballestas knew he would be able to help; he was both CPR-certified and trained in basic life support and advanced cardiac life support by the American Heart Association. So he entered the classroom and immediately began chest compressions on 18-year-old freshman Michael Namey.

"It felt like forever," he said. "I gave him breath, I cardioverted him with the AED, which essentially means I shocked him — it was two or three times. EMS got there and I continued compressions with them while they tried to get a line in and intubated him,” he said.

Students in class with Namey reported seeing their classmate fall backwards before convulsing in a manner similar to a seizure. Once the EMS got there, Namey was brought to the hospital, and all Orozco Ballestas could do was wait. Then he got a call from the dean of students, telling him that Namey had passed away.

"It was devastating," he said. "I was in pretty bad shape. I was expecting it, but at the same time I was still hopeful because he was kept in the hospital and when I got that call it was kind of like getting a call about someone in my family.”

Desperate to reach out to Namey’s family and tell them that he had tried, in vain, to save their son, Orozco Ballestas took to Facebook, writing a very personal letter to the family of the boy he could not save.

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Manny Orozco Ballestas' letter to Michael Namey's family. Facebook/Manny Orrozco Ballestas.

Orozco Ballestas says he never thought the post would go viral, but he did get results; three hours after posting the letter, he received a comment from Namey’s brother, Joseph who says that Orozco Ballestas’ letter was able to give him closure. He also says that he is now in touch with Namey’s mother, and is helping her promote her GoFundMe page to pay for a vigil for her son.

The UCF student hopes to raise awareness of the importance of getting trained in CPR/AED.

"I just really want to bring awareness, reminding everyone that getting CPR certified isn't just about the certification," he said. "Even if a couple more people could be saved from cardiac arrest, that would somewhat make Michael's life even more meaningful."