F-M Ambulance honors two heroes for life-saving CPR

Tim Larson and Amanda Dollinger preformed CPR on Jason Pierson after he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while shopping in a Fargo Cash Wise.

FARGO, N.D. — May 30th started as just a normal day for Jason Pierson that included a stop by Cash Wise.

“Apparently I came here to buy lottery tickets,” said Pierson. After that, I don’t remember. I passed out and I guess that was it. I don’t remember until I woke up in the hospital four days later.”

Pierson had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

The reason he was able to survive and wake up in that hospital bed was because of Tim Larson and Amanda Dollinger.

“I got him onto his back and just immediately started on compressions, breaths, gave him mouth-to-mouth,” said Larson. “Hooked him up to the AED, got everybody clear, we shocked him.”

“I was checking out and I heard an AED go off,” said Dollinger. “I just jumped in because CPR is exhausting and I just wanted to help out in any way that I could.”

Normally, there is just a 10% chance of survival for those who suffer sudden cardiac arrest.

The CPR preformed by Larson and Dollinger kept Pierson in that 10%.

“They said seven minutes until the ambulance got there and it was the longest seven minutes of my life,” Larson said.

Because of their heroic acts, both Larson and Dollinger were honored by F-M Ambulance with their Citizens Lifesaving Award.

The award presentation was the first time Pierson was able to see the two people who saved him.

“I thanked them and I’m glad they were here,” said Pierson. “Other than that I wouldn’t be.”

Pierson wouldn’t have been there without Larson and Dollinger, and Larson and Dollinger wouldn’t have been able to help if they weren’t trained in CPR.

Dollinger is a Sanford ER Nurse and Larson is a former EMT. Both of them not only know CPR, but also teach it.

They hope situations like this can encourage more people to learn the life-saving skill.

“The tools are super easy. Anybody can learn how to do CPR,” said Dollinger. “Luckily, EMS was here as soon as they were, but if they weren’t, then other people could jump in and help out.”