GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Twenty minutes into a ceremonial dance at an Indigenous cultural celebration, Debbie Hassinger unexpectedly collapsed. In the four minutes that followed, Mandi Garvey helped save her life.
In September 2024, Garvey was volunteering at the annual Pow Wow at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids when someone yelled for help. That’s when she took initiative, calling 911, sending someone to flag down a deputy and starting CPR. When emergency responders arrived, they shocked Hassinger’s heart with an AED multiple times until she started breathing again.
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“You are less than four minutes away from brain death once you stop breathing and you will never in your life have an ambulance in less than four minutes to your house,” Garvey said.
Garvey knows how precious those seconds are: She was a paramedic for over 20 years. When Hassinger fell unconscious, Garvey was quick to act. On Thursday, she was honored by the American Red Cross with a Livesaving Award for her heroic actions.
Hassinger has memory loss surrounding the days of the incident. Before Thursday, Mandi was simply just a name to her. Almost a year later, the two met to celebrate the honor…