Mom leaps into action when man goes into cardiac arrest behind the wheel at Eden Prairie park
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – A quick-thinking mother was honored this week for helping save a man's life earlier in the summer.
Duane Hookom was leaving a city of Eden Prairie event in June at Nesbitt Preserve Park.
"Got in my car, was going drive away," Hookom said. "I don't remember anything else, and then Molly showed up."
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Molly Menton was at the event with her kids and neighbors and saw Hookom slumped over his steering wheel, slowly moving toward their group. She knew right away he was having a medical emergency.
As many heroes tend to say afterward, Menton says she didn't think much about what she did next.
"Opened the passenger door and I guess made kind of a quick decision," Menton said. "Instead of trying to put my foot on the brake, just because the car was in motion, I thought it would be easier if I put my hands on the brake, so then just kind of dove in [laughs]!"
Lucky for everyone, emergency personnel happened to be at the event. They ran to treat Hookom as Menton held tight to the brake.
Hookom was in full cardiac arrest. Eden Prairie Police Chief Matt Sackett says responders administered AED shocks and CPR for three minutes.
"Ms. Menton's actions gave first responders valuable time to start providing care to the victim," Sackett said this week at a city council meeting. "The actions of Ms. Menton were selfless and brave."
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The city presented Menton with a Citizen Lifesaving Award Recognition.
She says it's nice to be honored, but maybe more valuable to her is the lifelong bond she now shares with Hookom.
"Myself, my wife, my kids, my grandkids, my friends are just very, very grateful that Molly was there, as well as the first responders to keep me alive," Hookom said. "The story stands by itself. Molly was the hero."
Hookom is healthy and active again. He had never had a heart problem before, but earlier that day, there was a little pain in his chest.
Hookom wants his experience to be a reminder to pay attention to your body and take the signs seriously.
