Navy SEAL veteran Matthew Melton's military training and CPR experience helped save his professor's life.
The classroom can be the place for lessons that go way beyond textbooks, examinations and academic degrees. For 73-year-old Michael Maslanka, a professor of law at the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) College of Law, an average evening class became a life-and-death situation. His own students, not medical professionals, were his first line of rescue when his heart suddenly failed. Their quick action, especially that of a former Navy SEAL, helped give the professor another chance at life, letting him return to the classroom and deliver a powerful message about the importance of learning CPR.
The classroom emergency that changed everything
FOX 4 reports Maslanka was in the middle of teaching an evening class on October 8, 2026, when he began experiencing blurred vision and feeling too ill to continue. He told his students he was unable to finish the lesson when he fell to the floor. The professor's pulse was lost, he stopped breathing and things quickly became critical. What followed was a coordinated emergency response, and some students didn't wait around helplessly. Matthew Melton, 45, a cybersecurity professional and third-year law student, is a former Navy SEAL who was among them. Melton knew he had to act immediately and determined that Maslanka was not breathing and began CPR.
Navy SEAL training becomes a life-saving skill
According to UNT Dallas, Melton performed three rounds of CPR, alternating between chest compressions and rescue breaths. It was a physically demanding procedure and he remembered hearing Maslanka's ribs break during the compressions. But he knew that right now, the priority was to keep blood flowing and give his professor a chance at survival. Melton was not the only one. Law students Anwar Hannon and Jeff Baza rendered aid, while Daniella Sanchez called 911 and helped coordinate the response. She also clasped the professor's hand and prayed for his recovery. Other students helped direct emergency responders into the building. Their combined efforts ensured that help could reach Maslanka without undue delay. Melton's ability to react was the result of years of military service. He'd been trained in CPR as a teen, taught others the procedure, and witnessed advanced battlefield medical training during his Navy service. His deployments included Iraq in 2005 and Bahrain in 2001.
Doctors administer electric shock twice
Emergency responders eventually took Maslanka to Dallas' Baylor University Medical Center, where he was treated by doctors who worked to stabilize his condition. The doctors "zapped" his heart twice, CBS News reported. The professor had suffered ventricular tachycardia, a potentially fatal heart rhythm disorder in which the heart's lower chambers beat too fast, preventing the heart from pumping blood effectively. Maslanka spent two days in intensive care, then was transferred to a regular hospital room. He later recovered enough to leave the hospital and return to teaching. He has repeatedly expressed his gratitude to his students for saving his life, noting that the CPR they performed kept him alive long enough to receive emergency care.
A remarkable link between teacher and students
Interestingly, in a 2014 video for Texas Bar TV on professional excellence, Maslanka used Navy SEALs as an example of discipline and preparation. He urged lawyers to emulate their example of constant training and readiness. More than a decade later, that lesson took an unexpectedly personal turn when a former SEAL student helped save his life. The incident also deepened the emotional connection between Maslanka and his students. A week after the emergency, Sanchez and classmates visited him in hospital, an emotional reunion which showed how much the experience had affected everyone.
Professor comes back with a message for everyone
Now back in the classroom, Maslanka wants his experience to mean more than just his own recovery. As reported by UNT Dallas and FOX 4, he is urging people to learn CPR and get certified so that they are able to respond with confidence when someone is experiencing a cardiac emergency.
UNT Health physician Jeff Beeson also stressed the need for CPR, noting the students' actions were a good example of how basic knowledge of saving lives can make a difference. Maslanka is writing an article for Texas Lawyer, "Four Life Hacks That Dying (Twice) Taught Me." The experience has made a common academic lesson a lasting memorial for the professor of human preparedness, compassion and responsibility. His students came to class to learn law, but that nite they showed a skill that was just as important, the ability to defend another person's life when every second counts. Images Courtesy: UNT Dallas
