April 9, 2019 ~ Less than two weeks after learning CPR in his physical education class at school, Olathe East High School freshman Seth Johnson was able to put his new skills to the best possible use. He and his sister Claire, an East senior, were home on a snow day when their dad went into cardiac arrest.

The duo immediately went to work, dialing 911 and starting chest compressions on their dad.

“I never thought something like this could happen to our family,” Seth said. “It was an eye opener to us. Anything can happen and you have to be prepared.”

Claire had also taken CPR when she was a freshman at Olathe East, and received follow up training as a lifeguard since that time. But in the moment of crisis, she and Seth didn’t think twice about what they needed to do. They got to work and saved their dad, with the help of coaching and encouragement from the 911 dispatcher on the phone.

“It was a no brainer,” Claire said. “We were going to do whatever we had to do to save him.”

“I feel like we did what anyone would have done if it was their dad,” Seth said.

Their dad, Mark Johnson, is now doing well and is under the treatment of a cardiologist.

Their entire family is committed to sharing the importance of learning CPR and they are grateful that their kids had the opportunity to learn CPR at school. Seth and Claire want everyone to know how important it is to be trained in CPR, just in case you need it.

“There’s no reason not to learn CPR,” Claire said. “It’s better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.”

(Photo of Seth and Claire Johnson)