Michael Scott would be proud! Father helps to save his unconscious four-year-old daughter's life by using CPR technique he learned from watching THE OFFICE
A Indiana fan of the American version of The Office helped save his four-year-old daughter's life — all thanks to Michael Scott.
When Matt Uber, 46, saw his daughter Vera Posy collapse in the middle of a game of tag, he rushed to her side and performed CPR — something he hasn't actually been trained in.
But he did remember a season five episode of The Office in which the characters go through CPR training, he told Today, and he and applied his knowledge from the show to give his little girl breaths and chest compressions until an ambulance arrived.
In April, four-year-old Vera Posy collapsed while playing tag with her dad Matt Uber, 46, outside their home in Indiana
When Matt realized she wasn't breathing, he gave her CPR to the tune of Stayin' Alive — a trick he learned from The Office
Matt and his daughter were playing together outside in April when she suddenly fell to the ground and curled up in a ball.
At first, he thought she had just tripped, but was alarmed when he found her limp with her eyes rolled back in her head. He soon realized she was not breathing and was turning pale.
While his older daughter Nora called 911, Matt knew what to do: He thought back to an episode of The Office wherein a professional coaches Michael through practicing CPR on a dummy.
The professional tells him to pump to the tune of Stayin' Alive by The Bee Gees, which measures 100 beets per minute.
Matt kept compressions going until an ambulance arrived, helping to save her life
'Matt had felt some guilt — was he able to deliver CPR appropriately? — and he got lots of attention about being a hero,' Vera's mother Erin said. 'Until he knew that it was delivered appropriately and adequately, he could not really rest'
'When I was trying to think about what do I know about CPR, (my mind literally went) to that episode of The Office, where they are doing CPR training and doing the compressions to the beat of Stayin' Alive,' he said. 'It’s just what kicks in, what’s in your head, and that’s fortunate.
'I remembered to lift her neck and make sure that she wasn’t choking or having a seizure. I was panicked and it was chaotic. In the meantime, the wonderful 911 operator got on and talked me through the process.'
Paramedics soon took over, used a defibrillator, and brought Vera to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, where doctor's tried to figure out how she'd gone into cardiac arrest with no history of cardiac issues.
After undergoing some testing, Vera was diagnosed with calmodulinopathy, a rare condition that can cause a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia.
She needs an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, which jolts her heart if it stops.
At the hospital, Vera was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition and was implanted with a cardioverter defibrillator
Her mother, Erin, said she's the youngest patient to have ever needed one at the hospital.
Vera is now back home and healthy, while her parents are urging others to learn how to perform CPR.
'Matt had felt some guilt — was he able to deliver CPR appropriately? — and he got lots of attention about being a hero,' Erin said. 'Until he knew that it was delivered appropriately and adequately, he could not really rest.'
Meanwhile, they're trying to help their daughter process dealing with a heart condition.
'As far as her device goes, she’ll say occasionally, "Mom, I sure wish I didn’t have this power pack," which is what we’re calling it,' she said.
Buddies: Jaxson Dempsey from Hazleton, Pennsylvania was in the car with dad and 20-month-old sister Leila when she began choking on a chicken nugget
To the rescue! Jaxson told his dad to pull over and slapped Leila between the shoulder blades, dislodging the food
Genius! He remembered an episode of the Nickelodeon prank show The Substitute with John Cena as a guest star Cena had demonstrated techniques for helping someone who is choking
Earlier this year, an eight-year-old boy saved his little sister's life by performing a first aid maneuver that he learned from John Cena on a Nickelodeon TV show.
Jaxson Dempsey from Hazleton, Pennsylvania was in the car with dad and 20-month-old sister Leila when she began choking on a chicken nugget.
Though he was scared, Jaxson immediately thought of an episode of Nickelodeon's The Substitute, in which John Cena demonstrates techniques like CPR, and he sprang into action to rescue his little sister.
The Dempseys were in the car when Jaxson noticed something was wrong with Leila.
'We were driving to my haircut, and I noticed she was starting to choke from a chicken nugget from McDonald's,' he told local news outlet WNEF.
Dad Matt Dempsey was unaware in the front seat, and says he didn't hear his daughter because 'she wasn't coughing, she wasn't panicking' — so it was lucky that Jaxson was paying attention and knew what to do.
Way to go! Jaxson was celebrated with a small local parade with firetrucks flashing their lights and running their sirens in his honor, and Nickelodeon praised him for saving Lelia
'He's always been a really good big brother, but I never knew he would know what to do with that,' his dad said
'It made me feel scared because I thought she was going to die,' he told CBS affiliate WYOU. 'But then this thing came into my mind. I told my dad to pull over and I started to pat her back.'
Jaxson's mind when to the Nickelodeon hidden camera prank show The Substitute, in which celebrities go undercover as substitute teachers. In one episode, professional wrestler John Cena is the undercover sub and teaches kids CPR techniques.
Remembering what he saw, Jaxson leaned his sister forward and used the heel of his hand to slap her back between her shoulder blades.
In about 30 seconds, the chicken nugget came out.
'Her face was bright purple and red, and she wasn't really breathing. Jaxson sprung into action before I even opened the door,' dad Matt told WYOU. 'I couldn't believe it. I mean, he's always been a really good big brother, but I never knew he would know what to do with that.'
Proud: Jaxson said he feels 'like a hero' and wanted to thank John Cena for being on the show
'She just had no air going through. She wasn't breathing. Thank god Jaxson was there because without him, I don't know if Leila would be here,' he added to WNEP.
Jaxson said he feels 'like a hero' and wanted to thank John Cena for being on the show.
'It taught me a lot about how to save someone's life,' he told WYOU.
'If [other kids] have a little sister and she’s choking, their parents should teach them how to pat them on the back. And watch the very first episode of The Substitute on Nick,' he said.
Jaxson was celebrated with a small local parade with firetrucks flashing their lights and running their sirens in his honor, and Nickelodeon praised him for saving Lelia.
'Everyone at Nickelodeon is so proud of Jaxson and his heroic actions, and we are honored to be a part of such a remarkable story of good news and courage! Yay for Jaxson and Leila!!!' Nickelodeon spokesman David Bittler said in a statement to PEOPLE.
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June 24, 2021
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