John Mangrum knows a thing or two about second chances, thanks to the quick thinking of lifeguards at the Pullen Aquatic Center in Raleigh.
“They really are heroes,” Mangrum told us. “They are the only reason I’m still here.”
Mangrum, a former City employee who happens to be a competitive swimmer, was swimming his morning laps recently at Pullen when lifeguard Mark Hogue noticed he was in trouble.
“He was moaning and doubled over. So, I blew the whistle and ran over there. It was surreal,” said Hogue. “It was amazing how we all came together, and our training just kicked in.”
It turned out, Mangrum was in full cardiac arrest.
Lifeguard Steven Harper, a 20-year Navy veteran, immediately jumped in the water and pulled Mangrum out. Harper refers to lifeguarding as a calling.
“I took this job, not as a hobby, but as a purpose. And that purpose came into full focus that morning.”
Assistant Manager Caroline Truelove was there on the pool deck and immediately started CPR. The team also used the automatic external defibrillator (AED) to restart Mangrum’s heart. Twice.
“We train weekly, monthly, and annually. It’s so important,” explained Truelove. “We were all operating on adrenaline, but we were all in sync with one another. It’s just great to know Mr. Mangrum is going to be OK.”
Mangrum plans to stay out of the water for a while but after he was released from the hospital he made a point to stop by the Pullen Aquatic Center to thank the lifeguards and staff who saved his life. He brought a plaque he had made for them that in part reads: This was truly a life-changing experience. I am forever grateful that your team was in place at just the right time.
