Nurse Saves Driver's Life During Evening Commute Home

When Cindy Zimmerman spotted a woman slumped over on the side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, she made a choice that would save a life.

The emergency department manager at Temple Health-Chestnut Hill Hospital was driving home from work when she noticed two turnpike workers helping someone in distress. While other drivers passed by, Zimmerman pulled over to help.

The woman had no pulse. Zimmerman immediately began performing CPR on the roadside, using the same skills she relies on every day at the hospital.

After several tense moments, the woman began to stir. Zimmerman's quick action and medical expertise had brought her back.

"While some people were driving by, Cindy saw this person that was slumped over, and knew that something was wrong," said State Rep. Tarik Khan, himself a nurse practitioner. "Instead of driving by like a lot of us may have done, and gone home after a day of work, she decided to stop."

On March 31, Khan and state Sen. Art Haywood honored Zimmerman at the hospital with a citation from the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The recognition celebrated her heroism and commitment to helping those in need, even when off the clock.

Sunny's Take

Zimmerman's story reminds us that heroes don't always wear capes or uniforms. Sometimes they're just people driving home after a long shift who choose to stop when others keep going.

Her decision to pull over took courage. Performing CPR on a stranger while cars whizzed past on a busy turnpike took even more.

But for nurses like Zimmerman, helping people isn't just a job. It's who they are, whether they're clocked in at the emergency department or stuck in traffic on their commute.

Thanks to her instinct to act and her years of training, a family didn't lose someone they love that day. One small decision to stop instead of drive past made all the difference.

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