Texas law professor, 73, survives after Navy SEAL student performs CPR

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 everythingFOX 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 skillAccording to UNT Dallas, Melton performed…