Not many students get to say they’ve saved a life – even students who are lifeguards do not have to act on their training often. This can be a very good thing, as it hopefully means that students, their peers, and their family members have not been in life-threatening situations. But for Summer Siverts, a sophomore, and her younger sister, Amber, one of the biggest fears a child can have came true: their father nearly died.

The morning of April 6, 2017 started like any other. Summer’s father, Axel, was driving her and Amber to school down Rock Creek, right next to Fossil Ridge High School. Summer, sitting in the front seat, had reached down to grab her tennis shoes when she noticed her father had fallen unconscious and was beginning seizure-like activity. The car was still in motion, and in his unconscious state her dad’s foot had pushed down even further on the accelerator. Summer, acting quick, maneuvered over her father and managed to get her foot on the brake to stop and turn off the car. Summer said, “It was pretty fast so I can’t remember all the little details.”

As Amber started to call 911, Summer began CPR on their father. Her mother, a microbiologist, has experience in the medical field, giving Summer the background knowledge she needed to understand what to do. Her father’s heart did stop, causing cardiac death, for about 25 minutes before medical assistance arrived on the scene, but due to Summer and Amber’s efforts, he overcame a 6% chance of survival.

To recognize their life-saving work, Poudre Fire Authority Chief, Tom DeMint, and Captain Jon McKeon presented them with the PFA Citizen Lifesaving Award during advisory on Friday, December 8. Their father Axel had the chance to say, “Their fast thinking got it stopped, got help on the way, you guys are incredible.”

Many of the EMS, UCHealth, and police personnel who were involved noted how “remarkably calm” both girls were, and they also took the opportunity to note how important CPR knowledge can be. PFA Chief DeMint said, “It takes a village. For all of those of you who don’t know CPR, you can even start to learn in online. You might get the chance to save somebody. In these girls’ case, that someone might be somebody who means a whole lot to you. I was just talking to Axel about their plans for Christmas. What’s pretty cool is that they get to have plans for Christmas, with their dad.”