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Home / Lifestyle

Stayin' Alive: Dad saves daughter's life after learning CPR from 'The Office'

By Shireen Khalil
news.com.au·
26 Jun, 2021 02:49 AM3 mins to read

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A dad saved his daughter's life after learning CPR from TV. Photo / Supplied

A dad saved his daughter's life after learning CPR from TV. Photo / Supplied

A dad who learned CPR from a popular TV show has saved his 4-year-old daughter's life after she suddenly collapsed while playing.

Matt Uber, from the US, rushed over to his 4-year-old daughter Vera Posy after she collapsed at her home following a game of tag.

The Indiana dad immediately started chest compressions and breaths until help arrived.

He had no formal training, but had remembered the steps of CPR from a memorable episode of the comedy hit The Office.

Uber's quick response helped save Vera's life.

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Matt Uber saved his daughter Vera's life, after learning CPR from an episode of The Office. Photo / Supplied
Matt Uber saved his daughter Vera's life, after learning CPR from an episode of The Office. Photo / Supplied

"When I was trying to think about what do I know about CPR, (my mind literally went) to that episode of The Office, where they are doing CPR training and doing the compressions to the beat of [Bee Gee's song] Stayin' Alive," the dad told NBC's Today.

"It's just what kicks in, what's in your head, and that's fortunate," he added.

The 2009 episode was called "Stress Relief" and had office staff taking part in a CPR class arranged by Scott, played by Steve Carell.

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Uber had heard a loud thud in the house on April 25 and that's when he found his daughter limp on the floor.

He ran over to her and yelled to his wife Erin to call an ambulance.

As he started to perform CPR on his little girl, he recalled the episode from The Office.

He placed his hands in the right spot and began compressions to the beat of the Bee Gees' disco classic.

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"I remembered to lift her neck and make sure that she wasn't choking or having a seizure," Uber told Today.

"I was panicked and it was chaotic. In the meantime, the wonderful [emergency] operator got on and talked me through the process."

When paramedics arrived, they took over with CPR and used the defibrillator.

A scene from the episode in 2009 called "Stress Relief". Photo / YouTube
A scene from the episode in 2009 called "Stress Relief". Photo / YouTube

"On the second delivery of shock, she responded and we heard her little cry," the dad said.

After Vera was taken to hospital and had multiple tests, it was discovered she had calmodulinopathy, a rare, life-threatening condition that causes arrhythmia in young people.

Doctors recommended fitting her with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, a device that jolts the heart if it stops, Today reports.

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"While we are hopeful of course that she is safe and protected forever, we also have a mission or a commitment, both, [to learn] rudimentary CPR — YouTube it — or to go through a formal training because, quite honestly, there may be a time that our baby will need it," Vera's mum, Erin said.

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