A Martin’s Super Market employee and a Niles nurse helped save the life of a woman who stopped breathing Tuesday at the Martin’s Super Market in Niles.

Assistant grocery manager Rich Wise, 33, said he and a Lakeland Hospital nurse performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the woman when she collapsed inside the store at around 10:15 a.m.

Wise did chest compressions, while the female nurse performed mouth to mouth on the woman, who stopped breathing and did not have a heartbeat.

“I’ve had people pass out before, but never had someone in that type of condition,” Wise said. “All I could do was watch to see if she started breathing again. It is all a blur.”

The woman began breathing and regained consciousness after about two minutes of CPR. At that time, Wise said, first responders from the Niles Police Department and SMCAS showed up and took over.

Wise said he obtained his certification in CPR while at Mishawaka High School about 15 years ago. Since then, he hasn’t been recertified or performed CPR. He said the nurse, whose identity is unknown, walked him through it.

“It was like a ton of bricks off my shoulders to see her start moving again. It was amazing,” said Wise, who did not get the name of the woman who collapsed and doesn’t know her condition.

Niles Police could not release the woman’s name due to HIPPA laws protecting a person’s medical information.