To Hollyanne Milley of Virginia, saving lives is second nature.
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Married to Gen. Mark Milley, one of the country’s top military officers, she is surrounded by heroes. She is also one herself, having worked as a nurse for 33 years! So when she saw a man’s life hanging in the balance, she didn’t stop to think – she just followed her instincts.
On Veterans Day, the Milleys attended a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. They were waiting for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to arrive at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier when a sound caught Hollyanne’s attention.
She turned around to see a man collapsed on the ground. Rushing over, she noted that he was breathing erratically and told someone to call 911.
After checking the man again, she discovered he was no longer breathing. He didn’t have a pulse either, so she began chest compressions. Two cycles later, he took a breath – and was talking within minutes!
The man, a veteran who wishes to remain anonymous, was taken to a local hospital, where he is thankfully feeling better thanks to his hero!
“He’s grateful that he will be here next year to again honor those who served,” Hollyanne said. “And he said because of a bystander who knew CPR, that’s why he’ll be able to continue on honoring our veterans for hopefully many years to come.”
This isn’t the first time she’s saved a life during an important event! Years ago, Hollyanne performed CPR in a ball gown during an Army Ball. While she said other attendees rushed over to help on both occasions, she’s happy she was in the right place at the right time. “It really was an honor to help a veteran on Veterans Day,” she added.
As her husband put it, “Hollyanne’s actions were representative of the hero medical professionals who are always there when we need them. She represents the strength and service of our military families.”
What would we do without our health care heroes? Share this story to thank the amazing nurse.
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