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Glen Allen girl lifts car, does CPR, saves father's life

Posted: Jul 30, 2012 11:57 PM Updated: Aug 05, 2012 12:20 AM By Sarah Bloom

Lauren Kornacki learned CPR several times. For years, she's worked as a lifeguard. The 22-year-old just graduated from Mary Washington with a physics degree, but while looking for work, she decided to return to something familiar to earn a little money.

Two days ago, her supervisor held a review session on CPR skills. Saturday, Lauren used what she learned to save her father's life.

"I opened up his airway to make sure he could breathe and everything and at that point I'm just talking to him and saying: You can't leave me. Just stay with me.Keep breathing."Lauren said.

You see, Lauren's father, Alec, was working on his car,a BMW 525i. The jack slipped and the car fell on top of him. Lauren was on her way out the door when she came found, unconscious and crushed.

It happened Saturday on Lincolnshire Court near Old Nuckols Road.

"As I go to open the garage door I hear a primal scream, like. ..dial 911!" said Lauren's mother, Liz.

That scream was 22-year-old Lauren discovering her father.

Seconds later, she did what most would consider unthinkable, she moved a car weighing a ton and a half off her father's body,

"I just lifted it up right here and just kind of threw it,shoved my body as hard as I could then I dragged him

out and started CPR,"Lauren said. "A thought flashed in my mind like, I'm going to lose my dad."

"His eyes were open, he wasn't responding to me.I knew I had to get his heart beating again and I had to get him breathing."She remembers.

And in that moment, with her skills and strength, she was the only person keeping her dad alive.

"I just kept telling him. You can't leave me,"said Lauren."Just stay with me. Keep breathing."

Two days later, Alec Kornacki's other daughter, Allie,shared a video with us. Her father is still in the ICU, but walking and finally getting the chance to thank Lauren."When I told him what happened,"said Liz. "the tears just came to his eyes. He said thank you for saving my life to Lauren and just smiled with his twinkling blue eyes and that was it."

"Just seeing him move and breathe I literally just sat there and watched his chest rise and that's when I lost it"said Lauren. "I just couldn't handle how thankful l was"Liz says Lauren is the reason Alec is alive. She says he wasn't breathing and a heart stopped for less than five minutes.

"She got his heart beating again and got him breathing again,"said Liz. "So, she's it. He gave her life and then she gave him life. I am in awe of her. She is the day.She saved the day. I can't even tell you how proud I am of her."

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