Lancaster 10th grader saves stepfather's life using CPR learned in school
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LANCASTER, N.Y. (WIVB) — CPR training in Western New York has become standard practice for many since Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field over two years ago.
When 15-year-old Anthony Killinger, a 10th grader at Lancaster High School, was taught CPR in school, he never imagined he would need those skills to save his stepfather's life.
It was an ordinary Wednesday night last week before Killinger’s family dogs, Finley and Bronx, started barking around midnight, alerting the family that something was wrong.
Within seconds, Killinger sprang into action.
“My mom storms up the stairs, she goes, 'I think Mike might be dead,'" Killinger said. "I saw the dog with him at the bottom of the stairs all sad. He was making an almost like snoring sound. It was weird."
Killinger's stepfather, Mike Reese, had open heart surgery in 2018 along with frequent checkups. Seven years later, no one expected to find him crumpled at the foot of the stairs.
“I call 911 and the dude on the phone is telling me start doing CPR. I did it for like 8 minutes and then he started breathing again," Killinger said. "I had to check his pulse, but it kept fading."
EMS arrived shortly after to relieve Killinger. Doctors told him his quick thinking saved his Reese's life.
“I said a prayer to God. I'm like, 'Please take the wheel God, you're the miracle worker. I know you can do it,'" Killinger said. "The doctor said it's like a 9% chance to just survive cardiac arrest. Then it's another thing to survive and have no brain damage. It was crazy that he survived and didn't have anything."
Reese was in the hospital for only seven days, coming home Wednesday after receiving a defibrillator implant.
“I did not go to the hospital to visit him. I didn't like seeing him with all the cords on him," Killinger said. "When he came home, at like the lobby — kind of gave him a hug. It's pretty emotional."
Killinger said he only just learned CPR last year at Lancaster Middle School. Experiencing the "Damar effect" changed CPR education at many schools.
“It was a whole lesson unit on just CPR," Killinger said. "They had guest speakers come in. They used almost like a dummy."
For Killinger, he didn't just save his stepfather, he also saved his best friend.
“Baseball really connected us a lot. He was my house baseball coach, very good role model," Killinger said. "We go at it sometimes, but it's all in good faith. He always wants what's best for me."
WIVB News 4 spoke with Reese off camera Wednesday. He said that he is on the mend and is dealing with fatigue at the moment, thanking God that Killinger saved his life.
Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.