Gretna vet assistant's CPR saves co-worker, earns hero award

GRETNA, Neb. — CPR and a quick reaction helped save a co-worker's life — and the city of Gretna just gave out its first-ever hero award to recognize it.

The honor went to 20-year-old Mora Hunzeker, a veterinary assistant at Paws and Claws Animal Hospital who helps vet technicians like Nikki Thompson, but usually not like this.

Hunzeker said she saw Thompson get off her chair, sat down and then passed out.

Her blood pressure dropped to life-threatening levels.

"She was like, something's wrong... you need to call an ambulance and then she stopped breathing," Hunzeker said.

With her co-workers on the ground performing CPR, Hunzeker says she was focused on one thing.

"I don't really remember. I was just thinking we got to save her," Hunzeker said.

Years before accepting the hero award from Mayor Mike Evans, Hunzeker took a CPR course at Elkhorn South.

Asked what her freshman-year-of-high-school self would think of what she did, Hunzeker reflected on that training.

"I think I would be thinking like, 'oh that was actually for something,'" Hunzeker said.

That something was more time for Thompson to spend with her two kids.

"I can't imagine a day without them, and to be given so many more memories to make with them means everything to me," Thompson said.

Hunzeker's next goal is to go to vet school after she finishes her degree at UNO.

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