Skater Harding Uses CPR to Save Life of Woman, 81

Deposed figure skating champion Tonya Harding says she believes God was behind her decision Sunday to stop at a suburban bar near her home for a few minutes to play video poker.

Shortly after Harding and her godmother, Linda Lewis, arrived, Alice Olson, 81, collapsed and stopped breathing. Harding called 911 with her cellular phone and administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

“It was very, very scary,” Harding said. “I kept my calm and cool and knew what I was doing. I had to do this. I thank God that I was there. Nobody else in the bar knew what to do.”

Olson, who suffers from heart problems and diabetes, was treated overnight at Providence Milwaukie Hospital and released on Monday.