Parishioners learn CPR after New Salem man’s life was saved by former nurse
At Messiah Lutheran Church in Mandan, parishioners came together after one of their members experienced a medical emergency last October, to learn a new skill that could save someone’s life.

The skill that was learned was CPR. Time after time, people hear how important it is to learn this and how it could help someone if their life depended on it. For this New Salem man, it was all about someone being in the right place at the right time.

Lorren Hoger is enjoying life with his wife Jeanne, however, that scene today could have been drastically different after Lorren suffered a heart attack last October. Jeanne says her husband was attending a service at church and was leaving to come home, when out in the parking lot, he collapsed. Another person saw this and called 911, but there was still a major problem: Lorren was unconscious and not breathing. Jeanne was not with him that day but heard the miraculous story about how one of the parishioners saved Lorren’s life by doing CPR as she was a former nurse.

“She had her shoes off because her feet hurt and it was October and she was running through the parking lot on the cold cement in her stocking feet to do this,” said Jeanne Hoger.

When Jeanne and her family arrived at the hospital, doctors were still working on Lorren and trying to find a pulse. They feared the worst. His family began to pray, and the prayers were answered. The attending doctor then came in to say they found a pulse and said if it weren’t for that parishioner giving CPR, Lorren wouldn’t have made it to the hospital. After this event, Lorren began to see Dr. Colby Halsey at Sanford for his heart condition. Halsey says in this type of situation, absolute seconds matter.

“Having bystander CPR and even an AED, which is incredible they had here in just minutes for him, is critical to help the outcomes,” said Dr. Colby Halsey, cardiac electrophysiologist at Sanford Health.

Dr. Halsey says the correct way to give an adult CPR is 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths. He says this helps circulate the flow of oxygen. Metro Ambulance says that if a person can start CPR before they arrive, it helps the person have a better chance at survival until they arrive to take over.

“That first minute can decide whether they are going to make it or not make it. If they are sitting out there and no one has done CPR for 10 minutes and we get there, it really diminishes our chance at getting them back, unfortunately,” said Luke Menge, EMT at Metro Ambulance Services.

Jeanne says although no one wanted Lorren to have this heart attack, she now sees the positive that has come out of this situation.

“I just keep thinking of the lives that can be saved because he had this heart attack. The church decided to do these CPR classes, these people may save a life someday,” said Jeanne.

Although Lorren can’t remember what happened that day, he knows if this person didn’t step in to save his life he wouldn’t be here. He says it’s obvious that his time wasn’t up and God had other plans for him. He says he hopes others who hear his story inspire them to get certified.

“Very important. If it helps one person, that’s all it would take,” said Lorren.

The biggest takeaway is knowing what to do and how to help if a situation like this occurs.

According to a Cleveland Clinic survey, slightly more than half of Americans say they know CPR and only one in six know the recommended technique for bystander CPR.