"The Kiss of Life": A utility worker, J.D. Thompson, giving mouth-to-mouth to co-worker Randall G. Champion after he contacted a high voltage wire -
This photo shows two power linemen, Randall Champion and J. D. Thompson, at the top of a utility pole. They had been performing routine maintenance when Champion brushed one of the high voltage lines at the very top. These are the lines that can be heard “singing” with electricity. Over 4000 volts entered Champion’s body and instantly stopped his heart (an electric chair uses about 2000 volts)
His safety harness prevented a fall, and Thompson, who had been ascending below him, quickly reached him and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He was unable to perform CPR given the circumstances, but continued breathing into Champion’s lungs until he felt a slight pulse, then unbuckled his harness and descended with him on his shoulder. Thompson and another worker administered CPR on the ground, and Champion was moderately revived by the time paramedics arrived, eventually making a full recovery. source (bottom of the page)
Randall Champion lived another 35 years. He died of heart failure (unrelated?) in 2002 at 64 years old.
Rocco Morabito won the 1968 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography for this photo, which was printed in the Jacksonville Journal. He died in 2009, at 88 years old.
