GRAND RAPIDS (July 24, 2025) – The American Red Cross today honored Amanda “Mandi” Garvey of Conklin, Mich. with a Lifesaving Award today for performing CPR that helped saved the life of a woman who collapsed at the Grand Valley American Indian
Lodge’s annual powwow event in Grand Rapids last September.

Garvey received the American Red Cross Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders. The award includes a Citation and Lapel Pin, and is bestowed on professional responders like lifeguards, police, firefighters, and healthcare workers. She is a certified Red Cross instructor in CPR and first aid.

Garvey was credited with coming to the aid of Debbie Hassinger of Cassopolis, about 90 miles southwest of Grand Rapids. Hassinger, a traditional dancer at the powwow, collapsed during a dance protocol about 30 minutes into the event.

“Thank you, Mandi, for your willingness to help Debbie,” Tony Gerheiser, executive director of the Red Cross West Michigan Chapter in Grand Rapids, said at an
award presentation Thursday. “Your lifesaving action exemplifies the mission of the Red Cross to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.”

Garvey, who teaches CPR at Muskegon Community College and served as a paramedic for more than 20 years in the Grand Rapids area, had one message for the community at large.

“You are less than four minutes away from brain death once you stop breathing. You will never in your life have an ambulance in less than four minutes to your house. I
drove that ambulance, I can tell you that,” she said. “That underscores the reason why learning CPR is the thing that everybody needs to do, whether you think
you need it or not. Somebody near you probably is going to need you to know (CPR) . . . somebody in your house that you would like to stay alive.”

Brittany Linstrom, a lifelong friend who nominated Garvey for the lifesaving award, said Garvey has dedicated her professional and personal life to helping others. In addition to the life save for which Garvey was honored, Linstrom said Garvey has saved “many, many babies in home births and midwifery.”

“Everything that Mandi does is in service to others,” Linstrom said. “There’s not a single time where she’s not helping one single population, it’s many populations all over the community. Mandi is an incredible person, I’m lucky to call her my best friend. I’m also so proud of all the things she has done in the name of service to others and the community.”

Hassinger, who had a defibrillator implanted as a result of the cardiac incident and is doing well today, presented Garvey with flowers and regalia from the outfit she wore at the powwow.

“I have many thanks to give to Mandi, heartfelt. I have no memory of that day, which is probably a good thing,” she said. “Her quick response, her knowledge, what she did for me. She got it rolling and I’m here. And I hope to be for a while yet.”  

The Red Cross National Lifesaving Awards is a program dating back to 1911 that recognizes those who – in a time of an emergency – used their lifesaving skills
or knowledge to save or sustain a life. The program consists of three awards, the Certificate of Merit, the Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders, and the Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action.

These awards and their recipients embody the spirit and mission of the Red Cross by using action to alleviate human suffering in the face of an emergency.

Since 2018, the Red Cross has honored more than 3,200 individuals worldwide. Their heroism has helped save more than 1,600 lives.

The lifesaving event for which Garvey was recognized for occurred on Sept. 7, 2024, at the Grand Valley American Indian Lodge’s powwow. This is a Native American tradition that brings together many different tribes and communities.

It was about 30 minutes into a dance protocol at the start of the event when someone called for a medic over the PA System.

Garvey was working the event as a volunteer medic and rushed to the scene. Hassinger had collapsed and was unresponsive.

Garvey called 911 and directed someone in the crowd to find the officer from the sheriff’s department who was assigned to the event. She knew the officer’s car carried an AED from her experience working as a paramedic.

Garvey then began chest compressions on Hassinger. A bystander who happened to be a medical resident in training came forward to help. Garvey did chest compressions and the medical resident did rescue breaths.

The officer from the sheriff’s department soon arrived with the AED and multiple shocks were delivered to restore Hassinger’s heart to a normal rhythm in
between the CPR that Mandi and the medical resident continued to performed. EMS arrived with their own AED and delivered one more shock along with medication. After that shock, Hassinger started breathing again. She was then transported to a local hospital.

The Red Cross has been creating courses and training people in first aid and CPR for more than 100 years. Red Cross training provides the skills and confidence to
act in an emergency. For those interested in our lifesaving courses, visit redcross.org/TakeAClass.

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MEDIA CONTACT:   David Olejarz / david.olejarz@redcross.org / 313-303-0606                                                            

About the American Red Cross: 
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.