Former Arlington ISD student credits PE teacher for CPR skills that saved dad's life 7 years later
Ex-student credits coach for lifesaving CPR skills
Starla Smith, a former Arlington ISD junior high coach, taught CPR to Stacy Stephens at 12 years old. Little did Stacy know she'd be using it 7 years later to save her dad's life. "I knew what to do."
ARLINGTON, Texas - A former Arlington ISD student wants to thank her PE coach from junior high for teaching her CPR, which ended up saving her father's life.
Learning CPR, even at a young age, can be lifesaving. The American Heart Association says this situation shows how even just one CPR class can be enough to save someone's life.
The backstory:
Coach Starla Smith often hears from her former junior high students.
"I hear stories from ex-students all the time. They graduate, get married, have babies," she said. "But never have I heard a story like this! I said, ‘You did what?!’
Stacy sent Smith the following message:
Smith met up with her former student, Stacy Stephens, in Grand Prairie on Thursday.
Stacy is 19 years old now. But when she had Smith as a coach, she was only 12 years old and in the seventh grade.
What Happened:
Fast forward seven years to Christmas Eve. Stacy suddenly realized something wasn't right with her dad, John Stephens.
"His head was slumped forward," she recalled. "He was kind of convulsing."
Stacy called 911.
"I said, ‘He's not breathing!’ He said, ‘Do you know how to do CPR?’ I said yes," she recalled. "I was on autopilot. I knew what to do, so I just did it."
Stacy doesn't know how long she did CPR before paramedics arrived, but she believes it was at least five minutes.
"I didn't panic until the paramedics got there," she said.
"The next thing I know, it's my birthday, and I’m in the hospital with IVs," said John. "I was in pain, and they said she did it right because she pushed really hard."
Doctors were impressed to learn that it was John’s daughter who saved his life.
"They said, ‘We want to see the young lady who saved your life.’ She said, ‘I learned it in junior high! I had a good teacher who made sure we all knew CPR.’ I cried," he said.
Dig deeper:
"We started training them at 12, 13 because of their age, thinking they might babysit," said Smith.
In Texas, schools are required to teach kids CPR at some point between seventh grade and graduation. However, CPR certification is not required.
Jenny Eyer with the American Heart Association's North Texas office says the degree to which schools follow that requirement varies widely.
"I think it's incredible that it also shows you that you don't have to be a seasoned, well-trained CPR instructor to save a life," she said. "You could learn this now and use it again in seven years! It sticks with you."
What's next:
John now has a defibrillator and says he feels much better. He says he’s enjoying his second opportunity at life.
What you can do:
The American Heart Association and American Red Cross offer CPR training both in person and online.
American Heart Association CPR Courses
The Source: Information in this article comes from the American Heart Association and interviews with Starla Smith, Stacy Stephens and her father.