In 1967, a single photograph titled “The Kiss of Life” captured a moment of raw heroism that would go on to define photojournalism. Shot by Rocco Morabito in Jacksonville, Florida, the image shows electrical worker Randall Champion hanging unconscious after touching a live 4,000-volt line — and his co-worker, J.D. Thompson, performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while strapped to the same utility pole.
Morabito had stumbled upon the emergency by chance while driving to another assignment. What he witnessed — and photographed — was a life-or-death rescue unfolding dozens of feet in the air. Thompson’s quick action ultimately saved Champion’s life, and the photograph earned the Pulitzer Prize, becoming one of the most powerful images ever published.
More than fifty years later, “The Kiss of Life” still stands as a tribute to everyday bravery and the ability of a single image to preserve a moment the world should never forget.
