Small Town News

Local womans trio to DMV leads to life-savins: moment

---

Beebe nursing student's CPR skills keep stranger alive

When she set out for the Division of Motor Vehicles in February, Chelsea Whittaker thought it would be an ordinary trip. Before it was over she found herself jumping in to save the life of another person.

After renewing her license, Whittaker, 28, of Millsboro, was heading for the door when she noticed a woman asking for help as her husband was unresponsive.

Whittaker, a nursing student at Delaware Technical & Community College, immediately recognized the signs of heart failure.

She dialed 911 and helped get the man onto the floor where she began cardiopulmonary rescusi-tation, or CPR.

"When I saw the man, he was cold and clammy and starting to sweat," said Whittaker, who also bartends at Bethany Blues in Lewes.

"The dispatcher was great in helping me remember what to do next. He was really patient."

Whittaker did chest compressions until the medics arrived. The woman was so shaken up that Whittaker decided to stay

with her and help her communicate with the medics.

"She was originally from Germany and didn't drive, so she had no way to get to the hospital," Whittaker said.

"So I took her to Beebe and helped her contact family because she didn't have a phone or contact numbers."

'IT WAS CERTAINLY THE CRAZIEST VALENTINE'S DAY I'VE EVER HAD, AND I WON'T FORGET IT FOR A LONG TIME.'

- CHELSEA WHITTAKER

Whittaker ended up staying with the woman at Beebe all day. The husband later had triple bypass surgery and is now recovering in New Jersey.

"He's doing great and is recovering," said Whittaker, who keeps in touch with the family, who wished to remain anonymous. "They live in Rehoboth and were supposed to go to McDonald's for coffee because it was their Valentine's Day tradition. "It was certainly the craziest Valentine's Day I've ever had, and I won't forget it for a long time." Whittaker, a mother, said she keeps up on CPR certification because it's important to know. She said she never had to use it before, but she is glad she had the knowledge to do it for the couple she met at the DMV.





© 2011 Cape Gazette Lewes, Delaware. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

More from Cape Gazette