Successfully Resuscitated

Daughter Saves Mother’s Life After Heart Attack

Irene (left) and Maria Steinberger with their family, Red Cross District Director Patrick Reiter, and emergency call center employee Matthias Hannl (right)(Bild: Markus Hechenberger, Krone KREATIV)

Those were dramatic moments! With instructions over the phone, Irene Steinberger (39) in Lower Austria resuscitated her mother, Maria (73), who had suffered a heart attack. After her recovery, the two women met with the Red Cross volunteers who had assisted them in saving her life.

July 16 of this year is likely etched indelibly in the memories of Irene and Maria Steinberger from Neustadtl, in the Amstetten district. That morning, Maria wasn’t feeling well. Her husband checked on her later—and immediately called their daughter, Irene.

Dialed 144 immediately
“My mother’s lips had already turned blue. I immediately dialed the emergency number 144,” the lawyer recounts. Matthias Hannl, on the other end of the line, recognized the seriousness of the situation. The retiree had suffered a heart attack in her bedroom.

Paramedics Michael Wurzer, Fabian Lechner, and Leonie Schindler with Red Cross President Hans Ebner and Deputy Regional Director Andrea Winter (from left)(Bild: Markus Hechenberger)

Instructions Over the Phone
While a Red Cross team was on its way from Ybbs, Irene Steinberger began performing CPR on her mother under Hannl’s guidance—and saved her life. Paramedics Michael Wurzer, Fabian Lechner, and Leonie Schindler then took over until the rescue helicopter arrived to fly Maria to the hospital. Silvia Reitbauer from the crisis intervention team was on hand to support the family, who were in shock, immediately after the incident.

Red Cross President Ebner presents Irene Steinberger with the lifesaver certificate.(Bild: Markus Hechenberger)

Professional and compassionate
Maria Steinberger has since recovered. Mother and daughter wanted to personally thank the emergency dispatch and rescue workers. “They were all a lifeline for me. I felt that I wasn’t alone in this extraordinary situation,” the lifesaver emphasized during the meeting: “Everyone was so professional—and at the same time so empathetic.” Red Cross President Hans Ebner highlighted Irene Steinberger’s quick thinking: “Otherwise, those first few minutes—which are crucial for survival—would have passed without any action being taken.”