06/01/2026
When the whistle blew, Jayme Pierson didn’t hesitate. She acted.
At 19, while working as a pool manager, Jayme heard the three-whistle signal every lifeguard knows means emergency. During adult swim, a woman in her 70s had gone into cardiac arrest and was pulled from the water. Without an AED on site at the time, Jayme and her team relied on their training. Each lifeguard stepped into their role. Jayme took on chest compressions.
“I went into focus mode. Everything was quiet except for doing what we were trained to do.”
She remembers the intensity of that moment, even the physical reality of performing CPR and knowing she was going deep enough to try to save a life. When EMS arrived, they used an AED and transported the woman to the hospital. She was revived and lived for about a week longer.
Later, Jayme and her team attended the woman’s funeral. What stayed with her most was what the family shared. Because of their actions, they had more time to say goodbye.
Today, Jayme serves as SVP of Western States Corporate Relations and has been with the American Heart Association for 18 years. That moment at the pool fueled her deep personal connection to the Heart Association's mission.
“When I made the tie to the American Heart Association and CPR, it became my personal passion.”
Her story is a reminder that anyone can make a life-saving difference. You are never too young to act. And in those critical moments, being prepared means everything, not just for the person in need, but for everyone who loves them.
Learn CPR at heart.org/nation.
American Heart Association: Careers
