Schnucks employee thankful for perceptive co-workers

When George Kuhlmann walks into Schnucks, he's greeted by every employee with a wave and a smile.

He's worked at the Cape Girardeau supermarket for about five years and made many friends, some of whom helped save his life just three months ago.

"It happened Aug. 21," Kuhlmann said. "I was bagging that day. I came to work at 2 p.m., and it happened at approximately 3 p.m."

Kuhlmann went into cardiac arrest and collapsed, hitting his head on the floor. He said he has no memory of that day, but fellow employees Debbie Maupin, Steve Mirley and Jon Townsend will probably never forget it.

"The manager on duty called me in a panic," said Townsend, a co-manager at Schnucks. "The first thing I said was 'go get Debbie,' but by the time I got there, she was already there."

Maupin and Mirley, both longtime associates and pharmacy technicians, also have emergency medical training. Maupin is an EMT basic, and Mirley also works for the Cape Girardeau Fire Department.

Maupin said when she first reached Kuhlmann he was having difficulty breathing and she couldn't find a pulse. As she worked on opening an airway, Mirley brought the store's Automated External Defibrillator -- or AED -- to try to restore Kuhlmann's heart to a normal rhythm.

As Maupin said, timing was everything.

"[Mirley and I] got there at the same time and without words we knew who had what part," she said. "I took care of the breathing ... and talked to concerned people in the store. He started the IVs when the ambulance got there and followed up on phone calls to family."

Mirley immediately called Kuhlmann's son to let him know what happened.

"To me, it's just important, especially when you know the family, to give them a heads up of what's happening," Mirley said.

That "heads up" allowed the news to travel to Kuhlmann's wife Judy, who works in the emergency room at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was able to alert staff to her husband's condition before he arrived for treatment.

"In a situation like that, just a little time can make all the difference," Judy Kuhlmann said. "So by giving me that heads up, the staff was ready and waiting by the time he got there."

She and Townsend both agreed it was the quick response from Mirley and Maupin that led to George Kuhlmann's successful recovery, as well as the Schnucks commitment to provide AEDs in every store.

"It's really a significant investment," Townsend said.

The store even received a letter of commendation from the city of Cape Girardeau for providing the potentially life-saving device for employees and customers.

Kuhlmann returned to work earlier this month, although he's taking it easy and only working part-time.

"I promised them I would be back to work in time for the holidays, and here I am," he said.

During his time off to recover from his collapse, Kuhlmann said he constantly received phone calls and visits from other associates, all of whom are happy to see him back in the store.

"I knew I had developed some friendships, but I didn't realize they were that close," he said.

Although he doesn't remember, Kuhlmann didn't just have fellow associates pulling for him that day in August. Concerned customers were sending out well-wishes of their own.

"People dropped and just started praying right there in the store," Townsend said. "It was really neat to see that they cared."

As George Kuhlmann settles back into his old routine, Townsend, Maupin and Mirley will be keeping a close eye on their friend and co-worker.

"I'm closer now to people in the store than before," Kuhlmann said. "And I thought I was close then."

Pertinent address:

211 Saint Francis Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO

19 S Kingshighway St, Cape Girardeau, MO