Jacksonville, Florida – July 17, 1967
In the sweltering heat of a Florida summer day, lineman Randall Champion faced a life-or-death moment that would become immortalized in one of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century. While working on a high-voltage line, Champion accidentally touched 4,000 volts of electricity, and in an instant, his heart stopped.
The scene could have ended in tragedy, but J.D. Thompson, Champion’s coworker and close friend, acted without hesitation. Scaling the utility pole with courage and urgency, Thompson administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation right there in the air, giving every ounce of his strength and presence of mind to breathe life back into his friend. For those tense moments, it was a struggle between life and death, witnessed by only a few on the ground.By a remarkable stroke of fate, Rocco Morabito, a photographer for the Jacksonville Journal, happened to be below. He captured the miraculous moment—a suspended instant of human bravery and compassion—on film. The image, later named “The Kiss of Life,” quickly became an enduring symbol of selfless heroism and the raw power of human connection.
Champion’s recovery was as astonishing as the event itself. He survived the electrocution and returned to work just one week later, embodying both the resilience of the human spirit and the life-saving impact of immediate action in emergencies.Over the years, the photograph has transcended its immediate context. It is more than a dramatic rescue; it is a timeless reminder of courage under pressure, the bond of friendship, and the fragility of life. Today, “The Kiss of Life” hangs in museums and news archives worldwide, inspiring generations to recognize that acts of bravery often emerge in the most ordinary moments, and that a single courageous action can mean the difference between life and death.