Normal Workday Turns Critical

It was a regular workday in June at Mohawk Industries in Dalton, Georgia when Duran Miller and Gary Lefever heard over the radio that their colleague, Dennis Parker, had fallen on the main aisle and needed assistance. Once they got to the scene, it was clear Dennis needed CPR, so the two immediately stepped in to help deliver compressions while someone ran to get the nearby AED.

CPR Training Put Into Action

Asked if they felt prepared to jump in and perform CPR to help Dennis, both Duran and Gary responded with a resounding yes. “We take CPR training classes every year. When you’re in there, you’re kind of aggravated having to go through it again, but once you have to do it for real — hey, that’s why we do it,” says Gary. “I didn’t even have to think twice about it.”

A Life Saved Through Teamwork

Both Duran and Gary performed compressions until the EMS team showed up and took Dennis to the hospital, where he stayed for 10 days. Dennis has since largely recovered but is still attending cardiac rehab. He notes that his doctors told him that this is not something you usually walk away from.

I’m thankful for the people I’ve worked with at Mohawk for thirty years, the initiative the company takes to provide [CPR] training, and the safety people who coordinate it.

— Dennis Parker, SCA survivor

“I’m thankful for the people I’ve worked with at Mohawk for thirty years, and the initiative the company takes to provide the training, and the safety people who coordinate it,” says Dennis. “When I was in the hospital, my wife and my mom and dad talked about how many people from engineering and management came to visit and expressed genuine concern. I can’t compliment them enough on that, it comforted us during that time.”

Gratitude and a New Lease on Life

Dennis is especially grateful that Duran and Gary were there that day. “It’s hard to put into words what it means, them saving my life,” he says. “Everything that happens afterwards — birthdays, graduations, Christmases — is directly because of them. One of my granddaughters just turned 18 months old, and because of them, I’m still here and get to spoil her!”