Employee saved woman's life with CPR in Clinton County

Jessica Stroup sprang into action after hearing a woman was having a heart attack in the parking lot of Ollie's in Mill Hall.

For Jessica Stroup, last Saturday started off as any other normal day at work at Ollie's in Mill Hall.

"It was normal, lot of customers, just trying to get my 15-minute break in,” recalled Stroup.

Jessica was taking a break in front of Ollie’s when she saw her manager come outside on the phone with 911, saying there was someone in the parking lot having a heart attack. That's when she knew she had to spring into action.

“The patient was seated in the passenger seat still with her seatbelt on,” said Stroup. “I unbuckled the seatbelt. A customer that was passing by helped me lower her to the ground. I checked to make sure her airway was open, and she did not have a pulse, and I started CPR."

Jessica kept doing CPR while talking with the woman's husband until ambulances arrived. She saved the woman's life because of her training as an EMT for almost two decades.

"Didn't always work at Ollie's. I used to work at fire and EMS for almost twenty years,” explained Stroup. “I worked on the ambulances as an EMT. I used to work at the former medic 15 out of Lock Haven Hospital.”

Although it's been almost 15 years since she was a first responder, she said she still feels a responsibility to save lives.

"If somebody's hurt, sick, injured, it's never not somebody else's job,” said Stroup. “Even if there's not much you can do other than keep the scene safe, do what you can by calling 911. Keep the patient safe, that's all you can do. It's everybody's duty to act."

She's thankful that she was there to act.

"Pure dumb luck that I was even on, and I knew what to do. It hurts burying a spouse, and I didn't want that man to have to do that.”