Highway Miracle

A St. Charles County women's life was saved because of several good Samaritans who, just by chance, happened to be right where she needed them.

It began Friday at 6:00 p.m. when Carolyn Holt's car crossed four lanes of traffic on Mid Rivers Mall Drive and came to rest against a guardrail.

"When I looked, I saw the person in the driver's seat was unconscious," said Steve Earle who was in his car. "When I saw what was happening, I jumped out and instinctively grabbed the AED, just in case."

AED stands for automated external defibrillator, a device that shocks the heart into a normal rhythm. Earle sells AEDs for a living and always travels with one. After an unidentified man pulled Holt out of her car, two nurses who happened to be on the scene administered CPR.

Holt showed no pulse.

"At that point one of the nurses and I reached for the button at the same time and delivered one shock," said Earle. Holt registered a pulse and was taken to the hospital.

"It was just like an emergency room, right there on the scene. It was great," said Mary Blome. Blome was one of the nurses who stopped to help, and became part of a team of strangers that saved someone's life.

"Two RNs, a man that was able to get her out of the vehicle, the man with the AED- that just doesn't happen," said Blome.

"The stars were aligned and everything went the way it should," said Earle.

Earle and Blome say they look forward to meeting Carolyn Holt, who is recovering in the hospital. Both hope the others who helped Carolyn Friday night will make themselves known.

Thomas Killion

Retired Police Office
"I have a first aid kit in my car, I have a first aid kit in my house and this is small enough that I could just add this to what I have already. I will be prepared for almost anything."

Richard Thomas

Engineer
"It has a voice that talks to you the entire way through it. And I tend to get excited and ahead of myself, and it told me along the way exactly what to do."

 

Bridgette Swisher

Flight Attendant SCA Survivor
"You simply do not know. I was only 40 years old and in seemingly perfect health and this happened to me. It can happen to anyone."

Lois Smith

Retired Executove Secretary
"It's easy to take around, you can carry it with you. You can have it around grand kids, grandparents, friends, in your RV, in your car, at home."