How a medical emergency at last year’s Thriller Parade formed close friendship
Together, Sarah and Charlotte are the grand marshals of this years Thriller Parade
LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ)- The annual Halloween Festival and Thriller parade brings thousands to downtown Lexington every year.
In fact, it’s one of Sarah Katzenmaier’s favorite parades. She’s participated for over a decade.
“I always dressed up as a bridesmaid in a bright blue wildcat blue bridesmaid dress,” said Katzen
maier.
But it was the 2021 thriller parade that could have been Sarah’s last.
“I had sudden cardiac arrest, which is like a perfect storm of everything going bad in your heart,” she said.
Charlotte Callan was along the sidelines. She noticed a small crowd gathering and was curious what was happening.
That’s when she saw Sarah, who was a complete stranger, on the ground. She stepped in to help.
“I checked her pulse and she had none. Or it was very faint. She wasn’t breathing. I felt like I needed to take control of the scene. It felt like it was very chaotic,” said Callan.
Charlotte had just went through CPR training certification and performed the life-saving technique until medical responders could arrive.
Sarah woke up in the hospital unable to remember what happened. She was in the hospital for ten days.
Now a year later, the two have a tight bond. They’ve kept with each other. Both are now spokespersons for the American Heart Association.
“We want to tell people that CPR matters. We want to promote that. We want them to know that the American Heart Association and lots of other organizations are here to help you get certified,” said Katzenmaier.
The story doesn’t end there. Together, they are the grand marshals of this years Thriller Parade.
“It feels like a full circle. It’s like we had this crazy year. It started at the thriller parade. I’ve met Sarah’s family and we’ve done some pr stuff,” said Callan.
A life saving journey with a thriller ending.
If you’re interested in learning more about the American Heart Association, click here.
