EXCLUSIVE: Daughter performs CPR on her mother in Saratoga Springs, saves her life

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah (ABC4) — Last year, on Thanksgiving Day, one Saratoga Springs woman collapsed in cardiac arrest. Her family says her survival story is nothing short of miraculous.

On Nov. 28, 2024, just before 12:30 p.m., Maggie Soward, 46, was preparing food with her husband, Scott Soward, at their home in Saratoga Springs when she suddenly collapsed and began twisting in a seizure. Maggie’s family quickly realized she had stopped breathing and had no pulse.

“It wasn’t until I rolled her over and saw that her face was gray that I felt a shock of panic go through me of how serious the situation was,” Scott told ABC4.com.

By happenstance, Maggie’s daughter, Eliza, 17, had just recertified in CPR, for the third time, just six days earlier. Eliza immediately began chest compressions.

Emergency medical personnel quickly arrived on scene and took over doing chest compressions. EMTs took turns performing compressions and delivered three defibrillator shocks, the family said.

“First responders worked to resuscitate Maggie for approximately 25 minutes before a pulse and breathing were regained,” Saratoga Springs Fire & Rescue said in a social media post.

The Sowards’ son, Noah, 19, quickly began asking hundreds of people to pray for his mom saying, “please pray for my mom, we think she just had a heart attack.”

The Soward family says Maggie was then rushed to Lehi Mountain Point Hospital where she was placed on a ventilator. Later that evening, she was moved to the Intensive Care Unit.

“At that point our biggest fear was brain damage from lack of blood to the brain,” Scott said.

After multiple nights in the hospital, Maggie had endured a difficult stay, attempting to remove her breathing tube. However, her condition had drastically improved.

“We were all so happy that she was alive and without brain damage,” Scott said. While Maggie was showing signs of spotty memory, she would regain most of it back within a few more days as multiple friends and family members came to visit her.

Doctors told the Soward family that the apex of Maggie’s heart was not working, causing atrial fibrillation, or an irregular heart rhythm. Medical professionals is a serious medical condition that requires treatment to prevent a stroke.

On Dec. 4, 2024, Maggie went into surgery to have a defibrillator implanted near the heart to monitor and regulate irregular heartbeats.

The following day, she was finally able to go home.

“The medical team called it a 5% survival rate for what Maggie experienced,” Scott added.

“We are so grateful to Eliza for quickly recognizing and taking action to provide chest compression on her mother. We attribute Maggie’s survival entirely to Eliza’s effort,” Saratoga Springs Fire & Rescue said.

Last week, Eliza was awarded a plaque by the City of Saratoga Springs for her efforts.

Maggie is now doing really well, with very little residual damage from what happened, the Sowards told ABC4.com.

Scott says more than one miracle had to converge for his wife to make it. “It was faith, family, community, and divine intervention working together to bring my wife, and our mother, back to us.”

The Soward family wishes to thank all who prayed, fasted, and helped in Maggie’s survival.