Capt. Christopher Anderson was on his way back to his company headquarters when he saw a sport utility vehicle plow into a parked car, leaving the driver unresponsive.
Anderson, who commands the Dearborn Army Recruiting Company, quickly sprung into action, relying on his years of combat lifesaver training as he reacted. Anderson grabbed the driver from behind, pulling him from the wrecked vehicle, before quickly realizing that the unresponsive man needed CPR.
Understanding the importance of the timing of CPR compressions, Anderson asked a passer-by to play “Staying Alive” by the Bee Gees — the song has a timing similar to the required cadence of CPR compressions, a trick he learned during Army CLS training.
“I knew I had to do CPR, bu I also needed a tempo for the compressions,” Anderson said, according to an article by Army Training and Doctrine Command.
While he was working on the compressions, another man came and helped Anderson as the two tagged teamed performing CPR as instructors recommend.
After about five minutes, according to Anderson, firefighters arrived at the scene and used a defibrillator on the unconscious man before taking him in an ambulance to the hospital. Anderson was told by first responders that the man had a pulse.
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“I don’t want to be called a hero,” Anderson said about his actions on June 12, according to TRADOC. “I stopped to help because it was the right thing to do — not just as a soldier, but as a good human being.”
Col. Wayne Hertel, commander of the Army’s 3rd Recruiting Brigade, praised Anderson for his actions.
“Capt. Anderson displayed tremendous personal courage, made great use of his training and expertise in life saving measures, and positively represented our Army and United States Army Recruiting Command,” Col. Hertel told TRADOC. “I am just glad he was able to be there and make a difference.”
Noah Nash is a rising senior at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. At school, he is the editor in chief of the Collegian Magazine and the digital director of the Collegian, Kenyon's newspaper.
