Washington students perform CPR on woman outside Joyce Center

By John Paul (jpaul@wsbt.com)

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Washington students perform CPR on woman outside Joyce Center

For Malcolm White and Lauren Miller, life-saving lessons learned in the classroom prepared them for the real thing. (WSBT photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Nov 5, 2009 at 6:52 PM EST

Story Updated: Nov 16, 2009 at 8:17 AM EST

SOUTH BEND ― A celebration turned into a birthday two Washington High School students would never forget.

We're learning more about the victim whom two Washington High School students resuscitated Tuesday after a Notre Dame basketball game.

Family members and medical officials confirm the woman is Sally Karczewski. She remains in critical condition at Memorial Hospital's intensive care unit.

For Lauren Miller and Malcolm White, life-saving lessons learned in the classroom prepared them for the real thing. But the teens never expected to perform CPR on a person. That changed on Tuesday night.

The teens were celebrating Malcolm's birthday by going to the game. That’s when White and Miller were approached by a woman who asked the teens if they had a cell phone to dial 911.

"She [the woman] said ‘Something is wrong with my friend. I think she is having a stroke or a heart attack,’" said Miller.

After a closer look at the car in the lot outside the Joyce Center, Miller found an elderly woman slouched back in the seat. She was unconscious and not breathing.

It didn't take long for the teens to swing into action. They continued pumping and trying to resuscitate the victim until she responded.

"She gasped and coughed for air," said Miller.

The students said the moments were both tense and scary.

"The first thing that went through my mind is that the lady could die in front of me," said White.

But that wasn't enough to stop them.

"We had to do what we had to do," Malcolm said.

The news came as a surprise to their teacher, Destiny Campbell.

"The first thing [Miller] said is ‘Me and Malcolm saved someone's life last night,’" said Campbell.

The two teens are now proud because they took what they learned in the classroom and used it to possibly save a life.

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