Heroic nurse saves the life of a mother and her baby

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – On Sunday, Dec. 10, members of the Tabernacle of Praise were preparing for their children’s Christmas program. Rachel Cunningham was preparing to watch her son perform in the play when she fell to the floor.

“I was coming up and I was fixing to get the kids ready for the program to get started,” Cunningham said. “And I was in the front of the church, and I just completely went out of it and had a seizure.”

Cunningham was nine months pregnant with her fourth child.

Carrie Kiersnowski, a cardiac nurse and a visitor to the Tabernacle, noticed the commotion and wasted no time jumping into action.

“When I could get close enough to see that her color wasn’t good, she wasn’t breathing normally,” Kiersnowski said. “So I just went ahead and started CPR as I was trained to do and just try to do my best to make sure everything was okay.”

Cunningham was rushed to the hospital, where she delivered her baby, Tobias. She was later informed she had suffered from preeclampsia, which caused the seizure.

Kiersnowski was overwhelmed when she heard both Rachel and her baby survived.

“It was just pure joy, just pure joy,” Kiersnowski said. “It’s really a miracle, that can be a dangerous situation, even surviving the CPR. But just so thankful they’re both okay. And the baby got to come home for Christmas.”

While Kiersnowski’s presence could be labeled a coincidence, both Cunningham and Kiersnowski say there was a higher power pulling the strings.

“And then Carrie’s son being in my play that was a God decision,” Cunningham said. “So I don’t say coincidence, I say it was God’s perfect will.”

I normally attend Covenant Fellowship in Bristol,” Kiersnowski said. “We had come to Tabernacle of Grace. My son attends Mrs. Rachel’s Sunday school class. God’s timing is perfect. He clearly has a plan for each life and for Tobias.”

Cunningham said she wouldn’t be here today had it not been for Kiersnowski.

Both Cunningham and Kiersnowski said the experience allowed them to appreciate their health, and the health of their children.