In the summer of 1967, an ordinary workday on a quiet street in Jacksonville, Florida, turned into one of the most iconic moments in photojournalism. A single photograph, later known as “The Kiss of Life,” captured a dramatic act of courage that saved a man’s life and became one of the most powerful images in American journalism history.
The photo shows an unconscious electrical worker suspended from a utility pole, held only by his safety harness, while a coworker balances beside him and performs mouth-to-mouth resuscitation—high above the ground and surrounded by live power lines. It is a moment where danger, urgency, and humanity collide.
The photographer, Rocco Morabito of the Jacksonville Journal, had been on his way to a routine assignment when he noticed workers shouting near a utility pole. Realizing something was wrong, he stopped just as a life-or-death emergency was unfolding before him.
Two experienced linemen had been working on a power line when one of them, J.D. Champion, accidentally touched a high-voltage wire carrying more than 4,000 volts. The shock knocked him unconscious instantly, stopping his heart and breathing. Only his safety belt kept him from falling.
His coworker, Randall G. Thompson, reacted without hesitation. Climbing the pole, he found Champion unresponsive and began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while balancing dozens of feet above the street—an extraordinary act of bravery under extreme conditions.
Morabito captured the moment at exactly the right second, then immediately called emergency services. Soon after, Champion showed signs of life and was taken to the hospital, where he survived against overwhelming odds.
When the photograph was developed, editors immediately recognized its impact. Published worldwide, it became known as “The Kiss of Life.” In 1968, Morabito was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography, and the image went on to become a lasting symbol of quick thinking, human instinct, and life-saving action.
