Buffalo Bills Fan Saved by Central New York Nurse

When the Buffalo Bills beat the Miami Dolphins September 18th, the win was exciting enough on the field, but in the stands, something even more dramatic unfolded.

A father’s heart stopped during the first quarter, and it was the quick actions of a nurse (and the support of the Bills Mafia) that brought him back to life.

Candice Dodge Shares Frightening Moment

Candice Dodge of Clifton Springs was at the game with her dad Brian. The pair had been looking forward to the game for weeks. They even snapped a pre-kickoff selfie. Minutes later, though, everything changed. Candice noticed her father didn’t look right:

“I said, ‘Dad, are you OK?’ He said, ‘I think I just need a break,’ but I turned around and he was not OK.” Brian, 68, had no pulse and his face had gone pale. “I truly thought I lost him.” she told WKBW.

Nurse Danielle Johnson Steps In

That’s when fate, and a bathroom break, intervened. Danielle Johnson, a nurse from Barneveld, happened to be walking by. She immediately jumped into action, throwing Brian onto the bleachers and starting CPR. For five to ten terrifying minutes, the section went silent as fans cleared space and EMTs were called in. Johnson kept working, and miraculously, Brian’s pulse came back.

“It was the most terrifying and most gratifying moment of my entire life,” Candice said.

"A huge shoutout to a local hero Danielle Johnson who was in the right place at the right time at last Thursdays Buffalo Bills game where she performed life saving CPR in the stands on another spectator. Danielle is a nurse who lives in Barneveld with her husband and children."- Barneveld Fire Department

Bills Mafia Fans React

Bills staff rushed Brian to a medical area inside the stadium, where initial tests showed normal results. Candice then drove her dad two hours back home, even catching the Bills win on the radio along the way. Later that night, Brian was admitted to Rochester General Hospital, where doctors discovered he has a heart condition requiring a pacemaker.

Now, the Dodges and Johnson say they’ll forever share a bond. In true Bills Mafia fashion, it wasn’t just a win on the field, it was a win for life.

“We’re going to meet up for lunch sometime and hit up a couple games together hopefully,” Johnson said. "Every time I hug my Dad, it's 70,000 hugs right there with him."

What a beautiful story.