I just renewed my CPR certification this past weekend. Even though a CPR certificate is usually valid for three years, I have to renew it annually for one of my professional designations — and you know what? A refresher every year is not a bad thing!

Fortunately, I’ve never had to use those skills in a professional setting, but that CPR training came in handy one night about 18 years ago.

It was a Saturday night when my wife and I went to visit her cousin, who had a baby boy just nine days prior. We had a nice dinner, and then the husband and I went downstairs to the “man cave” while the ladies stayed upstairs with the baby.

There we were, sipping on some vintage wine, shooting the breeze, and watching the hockey game on a brand-new big screen TV. I think the Leafs were even winning! Everything was going great — until I heard these words:

JOHN PAUL — HELP — HURRY!

I bolted up two sets of stairs, and when I reached the top, I’ll never forget what happened…

My wife’s cousin turned to me with tears in her eyes and said, “John Paul, please help” as she handed me a blue baby. The baby was gasping for air, struggling to breathe. There was a lot of mucus blocking the airflow.

Immediately, I went into action. I didn’t even think — I just started doing a series of back blows and chest thrusts, and told the cousin to call 911. The procedure worked. It cleared enough mucus with each series to allow the baby to breathe until the paramedics arrived. They used an aspirator to fully clear the mucus, administered oxygen, and then rushed the baby to the hospital.

That 9-day-old baby is now a teenager — and a star hockey player! Thankfully, everything turned out okay. But I often wonder what would have happened if we hadn’t gone over that night? The baby’s mother was frantic, and the father was in shock — he didn’t budge from the basement the entire time.

Bottom Line

Everyone — regardless of whether you’re a health and fitness professional or not — should get CPR training and refresh those skills regularly. You never know when you might need them.