LANCASTER, N.Y. (WKBW) — Jennifer Killinger-Reese believes it's a "miracle" that her 15-year-old son, Anthony Killinger, who learned CPR in his health class last year, was able to save his stepfather's life when he collapsed last week.
“This is a miracle," she said. "This is...they kept saying it's divine intervention."
It was just before midnight on March 19 when she woke up to the sound of her French bulldogs, Bronx and Finley, barking.
"The way they were barking, I just knew something was wrong," she said.
She found her husband, Michael Reese, collapsed at the bottom of the stairs, and she yelled to her son Anthony.
"We're looking down, and the dog was like sitting next to him all sad," Anthony said.
They had reason to worry as Michael has a family history of heart problems. His late father, Carl Reese, was a Buffalo police officer and during the Blizzard of '77, he worked 25 hours straight helping people stranded on the Skyway. A few hours later, he died of a massive heart attack.
Anthony ran down the stairs and checked on his stepdad. He had a pulse. They called 911, and the dispatcher said they needed to start CPR right away. Jennifer didn't know CPR, but Anthony did.
"I did not know my son knew how to give CPR," Jennifer said.
Anthony learned CPR last year from his health teacher, Mrs. Root, at Lancaster High School. She had learned it through a program started by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who himself was revived by CPR after he collapsed on the field in 2023.
Anthony worked on his stepfather for eight minutes straight, using the lessons he learned — including keeping the rhythm of the pumping to the Bee Gee's song "Stayin' Alive."
“Adrenaline...I mean, it was do or die," he said. "If I didn't do it, he would have died."
Michael, a lifelong law enforcement officer who is currently a federal court officer, spent a week at Buffalo General Hospital.
They said the doctors and nurses were stunned by his recovery and said his stepson likely saved his life and also prevented any serious brain damage by keeping his heart pumping until emergency responders could arrive.
"They said if it wasn't for him, he probably wouldn't be here," Jennifer said.
The family said they are all incredibly thankful to Anthony, the police, the paramedics, the doctors, nurses, Anthony's health teacher and Damar Hamlin.
Anthony had a message for Hamlin: “You helped others learn around Buffalo what it's like to do CPR and if it wasn't for any of that happened, I don't think we would have really learned it and I don't think like Mike would be here if it wasn't for any of that.”
