HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Sumner County high school student helped save a man’s life.
In February, 18-year-old Katelyn Williams was finishing her lifeguard shift at the YMCA. It was a slow evening at a job she had considered quitting when suddenly, there was a life-defining moment: a man had collapsed inside the men’s locker room.
Williams, a senior at Liberty Creek High School, sprung into action without hesitation and began administering CPR.
“My adrenaline was so high and so many things were going on, but I felt so calm and I just knew that I was doing what I needed to do,” Williams told News 2. “I knew he didn’t have a pulse. I wasn’t going to hesitate. The longer you wait, the [more] their life’s in danger, so I immediately got down and started doing compressions.”
Williams was first taught CPR at school as part of her school’s health program. Relying on her training, Katelyn didn’t flinch in a situation where many others would have.
“We really teach to be the calm in the chaos,” said Dr. Megan Morley, Williams’ health teacher. “In a moment that she was in — to just take a deep breath and do what you know how to do…[I’m] very proud.”
Williams called the whole scene “surreal.” Adding to the moment’s surrealism, two YMCA members — who happened to be nurses — showed up to help as Williams began her heroics.
“She handled it just as professionally as we would have ourselves, and not even having her medical degree yet. She was very amazing,” detailed Paula Carney, a nurse at TriStar Hendersonville.
Carney and her co-worker showed up to help Williams perform CPR until an ambulance arrived, but Williams did not immediately tap out.
“I trusted myself. [I said] ‘I’ll let you know when I’m fatigued,'” Williams said. “So I just kept going. I was doing compressions for about 10 minutes. My adrenaline was so high that I didn’t realize what was actually going on. In the moment, all I could think about was ‘This is somebody’s person.'”
As it turns out, the man Williams helped save — Billy Austin — had pneumonia and needed surgery. He had been in the hospital until two days ago. Williams made sure to visit him before he was released.
“I walked in and I immediately started crying,” Williams said. “I hugged him and I was just bawling on him, and he was just telling me how proud he was and that I saved his life. And it was just, a weight lifted off my shoulder because now I’m seeing him, and he’s actually okay.”
Williams lost her father when she was 10 years old. She said that in spite of the unusual circumstances that brought them together, she views her newfound bond as a chance to have a father-figure in her life once again.
There are countless coincidences and weird twists of fate involved in this story. That includes the fact Williams had taken a few weeks off from lifeguarding. The night she saved Billy was her first shift back at work.
Williams will graduate high school this spring and Austin will attend. She said she plans to pursue a nursing career. Austin said he would cover the cost of her tuition.
“Some people have that ability to take charge in a moment when it matters most, and she’s got it,” Austin said. “Obviously, that’s an attribute in terms of her skill and what she’ll do in her career. I think her greatest attribute is her love. She’s just full of love.”
