Nurse Jackie Stange’s Heroic Actions Save Penn State Runner’s Life

Nurse Jackie Stange sprang into action when she saw 19-year-old Giustino Racchini collapse on the street, knowing she had to help.

Racchini, a dedicated runner and Penn State freshman, had his run cut short by a sudden blackout, leaving him unconscious in the middle of the road.

Stange, a trauma nurse at UPMC in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was on her way to drop off her daughter, Eloise, at gymnastics class, didn’t hesitate to pull over and rush to Racchini’s side. With no pulse or breath, she immediately started performing compressions, pleading for him to breathe. Time seemed to stretch as she tirelessly worked to revive him, not even noticing the blaring sirens approaching.

Her efforts paid off as Racchini’s heart was restarted, and he was swiftly transported to the hospital. It was later revealed that he had suffered a cardiac arrest, likely due to genetic factors. After a few days of sedation, Racchini woke up eager to learn about the stranger who had saved his life.

Daily Nurse proudly acknowledges Nurse Jackie Stange as the Nurse of the Week for her compassion and quick thinking, which transformed a chance encounter into a life-saving miracle.

Thanks to a phone call from a concerned neighbor, Stange and Racchini’s mother, Heather, were able to connect and meet at the hospital. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Racchini thanked Stange for her quick actions, but she humbly insisted she was just doing her job.

Doctors fitted Racchini with a defibrillator for future safety, and after a brief recovery period, he was able to return home, thankful for Stange’s intervention. Reflecting on the experience, Stange expressed her relief that everything had worked out and was grateful to have been in the right place at the time to save a life

Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.

Author
Recent Posts

Renee Hewitt

Editor & Content Strategist at Springer Publishing

Renee is the editor and content strategist for Daily Nurse. When enjoying life unplugged from the digital world, you'll find Renee on a trail taking wildlife photos or birdwatching.