That Time a Stranger Things Episode Helped a 12-Year-Old Save a Drowning Man
Thanks Hopper, you saved another life.
We often hear about the impact of TV shows on our lives, but rarely do we come across a story where a show literally saves a life. However, that is exactly what happened to Austen MacMillan, a 12-year-old boy from Florida, who used a skill he picked up from the popular Netflix series Stranger Things to save a life.
On a seemingly ordinary day, Austen and his behavioral therapist, Jason Piquette, decided to have a friendly underwater breath-holding competition in the family pool.
As the minutes ticked by, Austen noticed that Jason had been underwater for an unusually long time. Checking the timer, he realized that Jason had been submerged for over five minutes. Panic set in when Austen discovered that Jason was unresponsive.
Without wasting a moment, Austen pulled Jason out of the water and onto the pool steps. He briefly left the pool area to call for help but found no one to assist.
Relying on his memory of a CPR scene from Stranger Things, Austen began administering chest compressions, mimicking the actions of the show's character, Jim Hopper.
For those unfamiliar with the scene, in the first season of Stranger Things, Jim Hopper and Joyce Byers desperately try to revive Joyce's son, Will, using CPR.
Austen recalled this intense moment and applied the same technique to save Jason. His efforts paid off as Jason regained consciousness, gasping for air, just as Austen's father arrived home.
Jason was rushed to the hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit. Thankfully, he made a miraculous recovery and was able to express his gratitude to Austen the very next day.
Reflecting on the incident, Jason labeled Austen as a true hero, stating in an interview to WSVN., "I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for him."
Austen's mother, Christina MacMillan, was both shocked and proud of her son's bravery. She emphasized the importance of teaching children essential life-saving skills like CPR. And she is definitely right.
While it's awesome that Stranger Things played a part in saving a life, there's a growing consensus that CPR should be part of early education in schools.