Morabito captured it all. He framed the shot, clicked at the perfect moment, and documented Thompson’s life-saving act: lips to lips, bodies straining, the city street far below. The photograph told a story words alone could never match: danger, courage, humanity.
Emergency crews arrived minutes later. Champion regained a pulse. He survived. Thompson, humble as ever, insisted he just did what anyone would. But the world saw it differently. The image was published, quickly spreading across the U.S. and then internationally. Its power was undeniable.
In 1968, Morabito won the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography. “The Kiss of Life” became a teaching moment in journalism schools, emergency response programs, and workplace safety courses. It wasn’t just a photo—it was a reminder that courage, quick thinking, and human connection can save lives in an instant.
Fifty years later, the photo still resonates. No edits, no staging—just a real moment where someone stepped forward when it mattered most. Champion survived, Thompson continued his career quietly, and Morabito captured a moment that would define visual storytelling forever.
At its heart, “The Kiss of Life” is about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. It’s about heroism, training meeting instinct, and the split-second decisions that can change everything.
Have you ever witnessed someone act heroically in a critical moment? Share your story below and celebrate the everyday heroes around us!