Rose Marie Blair, an 85-year-old woman from Louisville, died Thursday morning after collapsing in the UMC, according to the Boulder County Coroner’s Office. It is believed she died of natural causes.
Derek Dash, a 21-year-old senior political science major, helped administer CPR to the woman after she collapsed in front of the Glenn Miller Ballroom around 11:30 a.m.
Dash said that while walking through the UMC, he heard a woman scream and looked around to see her frantically asking for anyone who knew CPR.
“Everyone was just standing there with a ‘deer in the headlights’ look on their faces,” Dash said. “When I said I knew CPR, the woman took me over to her friend who had just fainted after she said she didn’t feel well.”
Dash and another woman performed CPR on Blair for about 10 minutes until an ambulance arrived, Dash said. Dash performed chest compressions while the woman performed mouth-to-mouth.
Dash learned CPR last summer while working for ABC News in Washington, D.C.
“One thing I’ve learned is that in situations where life or death is right in front of your eyes, just don’t panic,” Dash said.
CU spokesperson Bronson Hilliard said that UMC employee Victor Lombardo also assisted in administering CPR, and deployed an automated external defibrillator (AED) on Blair.
Blair was taken to Boulder Community Hospital when the ambulance arrived.
“Our hearts and condolences go out to this woman and her family and friends,” Hilliard said.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Hadley Vandiver at Hadley.Vandiver@colorado.edu.
