04/16/2026
💙How Community, Training, and Courage Saved a Life
Recently, during what should have been an ordinary evening watching a performance at a local auditorium, a powerful reminder of a caring and prepared community unfolded – one that saved a life.
Lisa Spitzli, a UnityPoint Health – Marshalltown registered nurse, was in attendance when she noticed something wasn’t right. A volunteer sitting at a nearby table had their head tilted back and appeared unresponsive. Someone nearby mentioned that the individual had suddenly leaned back and started breathing irregularly.
Because of her training and experience, Spitzli knew those signs mattered. She stepped in to assess the situation and quickly recognized the individual was taking irregular breaths and had no pulse. With calm confidence, Spitzli began CPR and asked for an AED.
The AED advised a shock, which was delivered. Shortly afterward, the individual began to show signs of responsiveness. Spitzli continued compressions, supported by those around her, until emergency medical services arrived on scene.
The next day, Lisa received the news everyone hopes for the person had survived and was doing well.
In an added positive outcome, the auditorium strengthened its commitment to community safety by adding an additional AED to the building, helping ensure even greater readiness should someone need help in the future.
This story is a powerful reminder that strong communities save lives. Awareness, training, access to lifesaving equipment, and the willingness to help one another all matter. Thank you, Lisa Spitzli, for stepping in when it counted and thank you to everyone who helped create the conditions that made this rescue possible. Moments like this show how, together, we care for our community.