The quick action by assistant principal Dr. Matthew Kiesel may have saved someone’s life on Election Day Nov. 3. 

Liberty was used as a voting center and during the polling process, a man collapsed and was in need of medical attention. 

Kiesel was setting up the school for the election when someone came racing inside asking about a defibrillator, saying someone had collapsed just outside. While he was doing this a police officer and off-duty nurse were fighting to keep him alive. 

Dr. Kiesel quickly grabbed the device and ran outside to help.

“When I arrived at the scene, the man had no pulse and was not breathing. We opened the case and followed the written directions, we administered one shock.”

According to Lake Saint Louis resident Kenny Nowling, he was speaking with a man in line when he suddenly collapsed. 

Nowling stated that a nurse and her husband, an off duty police officer, quickly jumped in and performed CPR on the gentleman while another person went in search of the defibrillator. Dr. Kiesel arrived and assisted with administering the AED, and eventually, the man regained a pulse and paramedics arrived to step in. Kiesel said his intentions were simply “giving him the best care possible as quickly as possible doing what you can to help out.”

According to Kiesel and Nowling, the gentleman was alert and talking with paramedics as they closed the doors of the ambulance. 

“Thank you to the Lake Saint Louis police officer, his nurse and angel of a wife, and Dr. Kiesel for acting so calmly and methodically and saving this man’s life!” shared Nowling on social media. According to Kiesel, the man was responsive and should be okay – he has a long recovery ahead of him but in the long run he should survive.