A teenager's decision to take a professional development course turned into a real-life rescue mission when she saved her mother's life using newly acquired CPR skills.
A Mother's Collapse
Maggie Soward, a 46-year-old stay-at-home mother, suddenly collapsed face down in the pantry of her family home in Utah, Salt Lake City during Thanksgiving preparations last year. Her husband, Scott, discovered her and immediately called for their 17-year-old daughter, Eliza.
The situation appeared desperately bleak, with Maggie described as looking "gray" after her cardiac arrest. With no time to spare, the family's Thanksgiving gathering turned into a life-or-death emergency.
A Daughter's Quick Thinking
Eliza Soward had completed a health and safety course that included CPR training just six days before her mother's medical emergency. This was the first time the 17-year-old had to use her training in a real situation, and she immediately began chest compressions.
She continued performing CPR for five minutes until paramedics arrived at the family home. Even after emergency services took over, paramedics were unable to detect a pulse for nearly half an hour – a total of 26 minutes passed before they found a weak pulse.
The Road to Recovery
Medical professionals were clear about the outcome without Eliza's intervention. Doctors stated that Maggie would have died at home had her daughter not acted so promptly and skillfully.
Maggie required surgery to have a defibrillator fitted and spent nine days recovering in a Utah hospital. She has no memory of the 26 minutes when she was unconscious, stating: "I was dead, I didn't feel anything."
Reflecting on her daughter's actions, Maggie emphasised the critical importance of rapid response: "If my daughter had not gotten down within a few minutes, my brain would have died. I would have died or have brain damage."
The family's experience has been profoundly life-changing, with Maggie expressing gratitude for the community support that saw 30-40 neighbours gathering outside their home to pray for her recovery.
Eliza has since received an award from her local fire department recognising her heroic actions. Maggie is now speaking out to raise awareness about the vital importance of CPR training, noting that this year's Thanksgiving will be "extra special" as she celebrates her second chance at life thanks to her daughter's preparedness.
