The sun was shining over the Florida Springs area on October 7, 2023. The Johnson family had set out for a simple day of fun and relaxation. No schedules, no stress, just them, laughter and sub sandwiches. It was supposed to be an ordinary Saturday.

But in a heartbeat, it wasn’t.

Nineteen-year-old Joshua Johnson was halfway through his meatball sub when his laughter turned to silence. At first, his mom Lisa thought he was joking...then coughing...then struggling. And then he dropped to all fours trying to dislodge it himself.

That’s when everything changed.

Lisa’s heart pounded as panic crept in. “I could see it in his eyes, he couldn’t breathe,” she later recalled. “I froze for a second, then remembered: You’ve been trained for this.”

Years earlier, Lisa had taken a Red Cross First Aid course, one she signed up for mostly because it “seemed like something every parent should do.” She hadn’t thought about it since. But in that split-second, those lessons came flooding back.

“I just kept thinking, please let me remember. Please let it work.”

She wrapped her arms around her son and began the Heimlich maneuver - a firm thrust, then another. Joshua’s father watched, helpless but hopeful. Then, after the third or fourth attempt, a single, miraculous moment: the meatball flew out. Joshua gasped for air and fell into his mother’s arms.

For a moment, no one said a word. Then Joshua whispered, hoarse but alive, “Thanks, Mom.”

“If I hadn’t taken that Red Cross class,” Lisa said, “I honestly don’t think Josh would be here today.”

Now, she tells everyone she can to learn first aid. “You hope you never need it,” she says. “But if you do, you’ll be so grateful you took the time to learn.”

That day, the Johnsons went home shaken but thankful. A family forever changed by training that turned fear into action.

Months later, Lisa thought the story had quietly faded into memory. But the Red Cross hadn’t forgotten. During an all-staff meeting at her workplace, her colleagues gathered for what she believed was a normal team update. What she didn’t know was that the Red Cross had arranged a surprise - and her husband was waiting in the wings. As her name was called, Lisa stood in disbelief. In front of her peers, Alabama and Mississippi Region’s CEO presented her with the prestigious Red Cross Lifesaving Award - signed by the President of the United States.

Her husband stepped forward, eyes full of pride. “She’s always been the heart of our family,” he said. “That day, she saved ours and I’m so happy for her.” The room erupted in applause. Lisa held the framed certificate close as the CEO proudly showed her medal. Heroes don’t always wear uniforms. Sometimes, they are mothers who remember what to do when everything depends on it.

That day could have ended in tragedy. Instead, it became a story of courage, preparation, and selfless love. Because sometimes, the difference between tragedy and relief is one person who remembers what to do. ❤️

You never know when an emergency will happen, but you can be ready.

Take a Red Cross First Aid or CPR course today at redcross.org/takeaclass.