Healthcheck: The gift of CPR training

If you're looking for a gift whether it's for a birthday, anniversary or graduation - one local couple says CPR training may be the best gift you can give.

Stephanie Austin never dreamed she'd suffer cardiac arrest but it happened to the mother of two when she was just 35 years old.

It was in the middle of the night - but fortunately, her husband Matt was awake - taking a phone call.

"And Stephanie was breathing funny, so I turned her over, her lips were blue and she was unresponsive," he said.

Matt is a doctor but he learned CPR as a lifeguard in high school and he knew he had to start it right away.

He saved Stephanie's life but she still had some distance to go on the road to recovery.

"I knew my name, but I did not know my children or my husband, my parents, my siblings," said Stephanie.

Now, seven years later, Stephanie's mostly back to her old self, although she says juggling the kids' busy schedules is a mental challenge.

"I'm definitely not as quick as I once was, and my short term memory is definitely affected," said Stephanie.

But she's alive thanks to CPR so now she's hoping to pay it forward.

She's working to make CPR training a requirement for high school graduation in Pennsylvania.

"If you could have that many people entering society every year, knowing what to do in case of an emergency, that's priceless," she said.

You don't necessarily have to take a class to learn CPR. The American Heart Association has 'CPR Anytime' kits.

You can learn this life-saving skill at home, in just 20 minutes.