Volunteer Firefighter’s Lifesaving CPR Sparks Miraculous Recovery in Kemmerer
Mike Judge, a volunteer firefighter and lieutenant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, performed a critical lifesaving act recently that medical professionals say defied the odds. What began as a routine drive turned into a heroic rescue just steps from the fire station where Judge volunteers.
Judge and a friend spotted people pulling an unresponsive man from a vehicle outside the Kemmerer Volunteer Fire Department. The man, in his early 30s, was motionless on the ground, showing no signs of life. Acting instantly, Judge grabbed the automated external defibrillator (AED) from the station and began life-saving efforts.
“It’s almost like this mode you don’t even know you have,” Judge recounted. “Something takes over, and you just go.” Despite the AED initially showing no pulse, he didn’t relent and started CPR. Minutes later, faint signs of life appeared.
Critical Seconds Make All the Difference
Emergency crews arrived moments later to take over care before rushing the man to a local hospital. Subsequently, the patient was airlifted to the University of Utah for advanced treatment due to the severity of his condition.
Doctors later contacted Judge with a stunning update: the man had no pulse and zero oxygen to his brain for four minutes, not including the period before CPR began. Despite this, he survived, a testament to Judge’s swift intervention.
“They said they don’t know what we did or how, but this man should not be alive,” Judge said.
Brad Stahl, Construction and Maintenance Director at Marathon Petroleum, Judge’s employer, praised the firefighter’s quick action. “What Mike did that day was extraordinary, but it’s also deeply representative of who he is and who we are as an organization,” Stahl said.
Life-Shaping Moment and Lasting Impact
For Judge, the ordeal remains surreal. “Everything happened so fast, but in that moment, it felt like an eternity until he took that first breath,” he explained. The urgency of the moment underscored why training and preparedness matter so deeply.
Judge also shared a touching emotional connection to the family. The man’s mother reached out, overwhelmed with gratitude. She revealed her son needed immediate surgery for severe heart blockages, and that she had lost another son to a similar cardiac event just four years earlier.
“She kept telling me, ‘You saved my son,’” Judge said. “I can’t imagine having to bury a second son so soon.”
Recognition and a Call to Action
In recognition of his fast response, Judge received the Outstanding Service Award from South Lincoln Emergency Medical Services. Chief Scott Meyers emphasized the importance of early intervention. “Because of Mike’s quick actions and the teamwork on scene, this man is alive today,” Meyers said.
Judge hopes his story inspires others to learn CPR. “If this encourages even one person to take a CPR course or gives them the confidence to step in instead of standing back, that’s another life that could get a second chance,” he stated.
Continuing Recovery Offers Hope
The man’s recovery is ongoing, and Judge receives updates including progress in physical therapy. “It makes you feel so good to be able to give him and his family this time back,” he reflected.
This extraordinary story reminds readers nationwide why preparedness, training, and swift action in emergencies save lives every day. For communities here in North Carolina and across the US, it’s a powerful call to be ready when seconds count.
