A few months after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during an NFL game, his alma mater – the University of Pittsburgh – trained its roughly 400 athletes in CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator. For soccer goalie Ellie Breech, it was a refresher of the skills she'd learned while working summers as a lifeguard at a pool in her hometown of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Ellie also was quite familiar with the lifesaving potential of CPR.
She grew up hearing about it around the dinner table. Her father, Ed Breech, is an emergency room nurse who has used it to save lives. The training at Pitt was in the spring of 2023.
In December, Ellie went home for winter break. She and Ed spent a day together doing a 10-mile hike. On Christmas morning, Ed worked his usual night shift, then returned home and opened presents with his wife, Maggie; Ellie and her brother, Mack; and Mack's girlfriend.
Then Ed went to the basement to take his daily post-work nap. From the kitchen nearby, Maggie heard Ed making a loud snoring sound. It was unusual because Ed didn't snore.
She called his name. When he didn't respond, she went downstairs. She called out again but he didn't answer.
Maggie thought Ed was playing a practical joke. She sat beside him and touched his arm once, then again. He didn't move.
"Call 911!" Maggie yelled. Ellie placed the call then ran downstairs. Ed's face was turning blue.
Ellie moved him to the floor and started CPR. She kept it up fo.