Suzy

Suzy had had CPR training in eighth grade and for years had jokingly called this knowledge “movie CPR.” This situation was no joke. Suzy started giving rescue breaths to her father-in-law. Her son, who had recently received CPR training, helped guide her.

The 7 minutes until the ambulance arrived felt like a half hour. Suzy continued CPR, but the outcome was uncertain. Her father-in-law started and stopped breathing multiple times.

Finally, in the ambulance, his vital signs stabilized and he awoke. After hospitalization and cardiac surgery for an almost complete blockage, he lived a second life for 9 years afterward.

“I feel so grateful to have been there and been able to help,” Suzy says.

This event was not an isolated occurrence in Suzy’s life. When she was 16 years old and working as a server in a restaurant, an older woman suddenly stood up. She was choking. The grownups in charge froze and could not act. Suzy used the Heimlich maneuver and back thumps to help the woman dislodge the piece of food. At a different time in another restaurant, a customer had a seizure. Suzy immediately moved furniture out of the way so the customer would not suffer injuries from bumping into a table or chair.

At times, Suzy considered working in emergency medical services or as a chaplain to help people in these situations. “These are sacred moments; it’s a privilege to be there,” she says.

Suzy’s alertness to people and circumstances around her translates seamlessly into her work at Lockwood. She focuses on thinking about what could happen and providing the best advice to clients. “I don’t take those opportunities lightly because that’s why we’re all here. Our relationships with each other and how we support each other are the most important thing,” Suzy says.

When you work with Suzy, you have someone better than a superhero; you have a real person with the inner strength and empathy to help navigate any project, no matter how uncharted or daunting.