"Gift of life"
- Lewis Johnson / NBC Sports and USA Track & Field TV
On February 9, 2019, Jamaican middle distance runner Kemoy Campbell was pacing an indoor race at the Millrose Games in New York City, 'live' on NBC Sports. As usual, Lewis Johnson was the athletics reporter for the broadcast. Campbell collapsed just a few laps into his run and what happened from that moment on was a frightening scene for everyone inside the Armory and those watching on television. Ultimately, his story took a miraculous turn and Johnson was later asked by USA Track & Field TV productions to be a part of this feature. Johnson had previously visited Campbell in the hospital two weeks after the incident, remained in contact with him over the next several months, and they spoke as Campbell struggled with the decision to return to the place where his heart stopped and his career ended. To his credit, Kemoy made the courageous choice to return one year later to tell his story, move past this horrific life-altering event, and to inspire the world to get the training that ultimately saved his life, CPR and the use of the AED. In this feature he called it the 'Gift of Life'.
Read: Lewis Johnson, NBC Sports: ’What I love is people: speak to people and draw up their stories’