In the summer of 1967, an ordinary workday on a quiet street in Jacksonville, Florida, became the setting for one of the most iconic images in photojournalism. A single photograph, later known as “The Kiss of Life,” captured a moment of raw courage that saved a man’s life and has endured as a symbol of human instinct, heroism, and emergency response. The image froze in time the split-second actions of a lineman performing CPR on a colleague, creating an unforgettable testament to the power of immediate action in life-or-death situations.
The photograph depicts an electrical worker, J.D. Champion, unconscious and suspended high on a utility pole, held only by a safety harness after accidentally contacting a high-voltage line. Below, his coworker, Randall Thompson, balances precariously beside him, administering mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while lethal volts hum through the lines around them. The scene captures an extraordinary collision of danger, precision, and human instinct, conveying a story of life-saving heroism that words alone could never fully express.
Rocco Morabito, the photographer for the Jacksonville Journal, stumbled upon the scene while driving through the city on a routine assignment. What began as a monotonous day suddenly transformed into a life-or-death emergency. Morabito noticed the commotion near the utility pole, slowed his car, and recognized that an extraordinary event was unfolding. Without hesitation, he positioned himself to capture the moment, immortalizing Thompson’s daring and Champion’s vulnerability in a single frame that would become legendary.
Thompson’s immediate response was critical. Seeing Champion without pulse or breath, he instinctively climbed the pole and administered CPR midair, a feat far more difficult and dangerous than performing it on solid ground. Morabito’s photograph captured the tension, focus, and heroism of the act, showing Thompson’s lips pressed to Champion’s in a precarious balance above the city street. Within minutes, emergency responders arrived, and Champion’s life was saved—a testament to the life-or-death power of instinct and preparedness.
“The Kiss of Life” quickly became a national and international sensation. Morabito’s photograph earned him the 1968 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography, recognized for its immediacy, emotional depth, and demonstration of human connection. Both men survived and returned to their lives, with Champion recovering fully from the shock and Thompson downplaying his heroism in later interviews. The photograph remains a cornerstone in journalism, emergency response training, and workplace safety discussions, illustrating courage, responsibility, and quick thinking under extreme pressure.
More than fifty years later, the image endures as an example of real-life heroism captured without staging or retakes. It symbolizes ordinary people confronting extraordinary circumstances and reminds viewers that lives are sometimes saved not through grand plans, but by immediate human action in critical moments. Morabito’s photograph continues to inspire journalists, first responders, and everyday people alike, proving the lasting power of one decisive act and the universal resonance of courage in the face of danger.
