CPR and first aid are essential live-saving skills that can make a big difference in the event of heart failure, trauma, or other injuries. Each year, hundreds of thousands die from cardiac arrest and heart attack—and thousands more are saved by the heroic actions of others. There have even been instances of celebrities using CPR and first aid to save the lives of those around them. In this guide, we cover six celebrities who have performed these essential life-saving skills in the real world when it counted.
Ryan Reynolds (CPR)
First one our list of actors who saved lives in Ryan Reynolds. Best known for movies like “Deadpool” and “Detective Pikachu,” Reynolds revealed that he had used CPR to become a real-life superhero for his family. In June 2017, he took to Instagram to post that the CPR training he had earned through an accredited CPR course had helped him save the life of his own nephew. Championing the importance of CPR certification in his post, Reynolds noted that it “takes only a few hours and it’s also kinda, sorta fun.”
Dustin Hoffman (First Aid)
The iconic actor who played unforgettable roles in “The Graduate,” “Kramer vs. Kramer,” and “Rain Man” played perhaps his biggest role as a real-world life-saver for a jogger on the streets of London. While walking around in England’s capital city, Hoffman witnessed a jogger collapse just ahead of him. Rushing over, Hoffman called paramedics, performed preliminary first aid, and stayed with the jogger until medical professionals arrived on the scene.
Jennifer Lawrence (CPR and First Aid)
A leading lady in some of Hollywood’s biggest films of the last several years — including “The Silver Linings Playbook,” “American Hustle,” and “The Hunger Games” series — Jennifer Lawrence once again took center stage saving the life of somebody else in the real world. While walking her dog on the streets of Santa Monica, California, Lawrence saw a woman collapse just feet from her. Immediately, Lawrence leapt to the woman’s side, calling paramedics and attempting to revive her with CPR and first aid. She stayed with the woman until paramedics arrived.
Omarosa (CPR)
The story of Omarosa and CPR actually involves two celebrities: Omarosa herself, and her then boyfriend Michael Clarke Duncan. Omarosa (popular American writer and famous participant on the American reality TV show “The Apprentice”) witnessed her boyfriend Michael Clarke Duncan (iconic actor in “The Green Mile” and “Armageddon”) collapse from a heart attack. Omarosa quickly called 911 and performed CPR on Duncan, managing to keep him alive until paramedics arrived. Years later, when Duncan passed from another heart attack due to a genetic condition, Omarosa embarked on a nationwide campaign to promote heart health and CPR training.
Jack Osbourne (CPR)
Last on our list of famous heroes who saved lives is industry icon Jack Osbourne. A prolific actor and producer featured in “Austin Powers in Goldmember,” “The Osbournes” and many more movies and TV shows, Jack Osbourne found yet another role as a real-world life-saver in the ocean waters of Hawaii. While traveling there with his wife for their honeymoon in 2012, Osbourne noticed a woman struggling in the water just offshore. Springing to action, Osbourne quickly found out that the woman was drowning and having a heart attack at the same time. Bringing the woman to shore, Osbourne used his CPR training to resuscitate her. He also called paramedics and waited with the woman until they arrived.
Save Lives With CPR and Frist Aid
You don’t have to be a celebrity to be a live-saver. All you need is a CPR and/or First Aid certification to gain the necessary skillset to provide life-saving aid to those around you. Accredited by the American Heart Association or the American Safety and Health Institute, CPR certification courses teach students how to perform CPR on adults, children, and infants, how to assist conscious and unconscious choking victims, and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Basic First Aid certification courses teach a plethora of important emergency-response skills, including how to perform a patient assessment, how to administer aid for heat- and cold-related emergencies, how to address allergic reactions and anaphylaxis, and how to provide care for the following issues: asthma, muscle and bone injuries, seizures, and trauma (bleeding wounds).
Get Certified Here at SureFire CPR
Want to learn more about celebrities who have saved lives or celebrities who have been saved? Want to learn essential life-saving skills for yourself? At SureFire CPR, we have you covered. Contact us to get more information on the importance of CPR and First Aid, and enroll in one of our award-winning course today!
