EMU Today

YPSILANTI – A relaxing day at Ann Arbor's Bandemer Park changed quickly for Eastern Michigan University nursing student Margarita Howes, who saw a man in distress and quickly jumped into action to save his life using CPR. Howes is now on a mission to spread awareness of the importance of learning this lifesaving technique. 

Growing up, Howes always had genuine care and empathy towards others, including animals. She helped take care of her grandmother and dealt with different disabilities of her own. She states she routinely went to the doctor's office for appointments as a child, and the memories she made with nurses during that time were unforgettable. They made her childhood better by playing games and coloring with her. This is why she decided to become a nurse. “It was without hesitation that they were kind, caring, fun, and empathetic. I would love to pay that forward with my skills in the future,” she said.

Howes has been trained in CPR since she was in Girl Scouts and when she noticed people in the river trying to pull Jamaine Atkins II out, she knew she had to take swift action to make room on the dock. “Looking at Jamaine, he was blue in the lips and had mucus around his mouth from choking on water,” said Howes. “I always have a CPR face shield that I carry on my keychain, however, I had to decide not to look for it on the other end of the dock in fear of losing more of the precious time we had left.”

Howes was the first to initiate resuscitation and worked alongside two bystanders, administering rescue breathing and chest compressions. When one person began to tire from compressions, Howes took over while the third girl to her right continued mouth to mouth. “There was an unspoken, ‘we are here working here as a team’ between the three of us,” said Howes.

Howes stated EMS showed up a couple of minutes into her compressions. “I was nervous, calm, and focused,” she said. “All I could think about was making sure we were doing the best we could and everything we could to get his pulse back.”

According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 people go into cardiac arrest outside of a hospital annually. Fewer than 10% survive, mainly because so few people receive CPR and have access to an automated external defibrillator, or AED. Furthermore, those who do receive immediate CPR are twice or even three times as likely to survive.

Howes advises others to learn CPR because it can prepare people for many unforeseen critical situations. She states taking classes to learn this skill gives her opportunities to be a leader and possibly save lives. “You never know when, where, or who you will end up using it on. It could be a family member, a best friend, an instructor, or even a stranger,” she said. “It cannot be assumed someone else on the scene will already know this life-saving skill.”

Learn more about EMU's School of Nursing here. 

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.