Couple's First Kiss Was When She Gave Him CPR After His Heart Stopped, & It Saved His Life
They say that “love is a many splendored thing” and just like in “Grease,” a walk on the beach can be romantic and unforgettable.
For Max Montgomery of Santa Cruz, California, a day near the waves turned out be just that — but in a completely different way.
In August 2017, Montgomery posted an invite on social media, calling his local friends to train with him for a 2018 Sea Paddle event in New York.
“Plenty of time for even the plannierest of planners to #savethedate,” Montgomery wrote in his caption. “You in?”
Lucky for him, one of the people who decided to train with him ended up being a life saver — literally. Andi Traynor is a fellow paddler who happened to be trained in CPR.
On Oct. 21, 2017 in Capitola, California, the unthinkable happened. Montgomery suffered a heart attack. Traynor was by his side in an instant, working hard to revive him.
The entire thing was caught on camera by a photographer who happened to be on the scene. What followed was quite something.
“I checked for a pulse and I didn’t feel a pulse,” Traynor told CBS News. “I just — I thought he was dead.”
It turned out Montgomery had suffered a heart attack. Though the defibrillators ended up being what finally revived him, this man credited Traynor for keeping him alive.
That CPR session marked their first kiss. But much more came out of this couple’s story than a fine romance.
Montgomery and Traynor have used this terrifying experience to help others be better prepared for emergencies like the one they experienced.
Together they run Paddle 4 Good, a nonprofit organization that offers “mentoring programs, life-saving education, and outreach.”
“That first kiss being CPR was obviously very magical…” Montgomery told CBS. “I’m very grateful that I’m able to experience further kisses.”
But more than sharing kisses, this dream team is helping save lives. “We want to empower people to do a lot of things, but especially to know they have the power to save a life, too,” Traynor explained to the news outlet.
What an incredible story they share. They are truly an inspiration for others. And it doesn’t hurt that they’re absolutely adorable together, either.
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