While it’s a well known fact that CPR saves lives, nearly 70 percent of American’s report they would feel helpless during a cardiac emergency. However, there are times where ordinary citizens sprang into action during these emergencies and ended up saving a life. Often, these stories of survival don’t gain the recognition they deserve, so we’re here to highlight a few amazing stores.
Often, when teens take CPR classes it’s for summer jobs or babysitting. They don’t expect to actually have to use the life-saving skills. However, Andrew Wilson, a 16-year-old boy in Illinois was credited for saving the life of another thanks to his CPR training. While visiting a hotel pool, he responded to a 7 year-old girl having a seizure. If it weren’t for his quick thinking with rescue breaths and compressions, the girl may not have survived.
Nurse and Off-Duty Officer Save Child
A day of relaxation and celebration at a local pool quickly turned into an emergency when a 6 year-old girl began to struggle in the water. After seeing nurse Amanda Darby dive into the water to retrieve the girl, Charles County Police Officer Robert Bell joined in the rescue. Their quick action is attributed to saving the girl‘s life.
Granddaughter Saves Grandmother
While at her grandmother’s house, 11 year-old Kendall Stilwell found her grandmother, Rita Lovato, in cardiac arrest. She promptly called 911, where the dispatcher talked her through CPR. Kendall continued to perform CPR until First Responders arrived. Thanks to her efforts, her grandmother made a full recovery.
With CPR doubling and sometimes tripling a victim’s chance of survival, stories such as these highlight the importance of CPR training to quickly react in the event of an emergency. The quick action and proper training directly resulted in saving the lives‘ of these three victims.
