Stories about Cardiac Arrest
Marlo Purnell
I had pain in my collarbone and a very heavy feeling in my chest like nothing I have ever felt before. I went to the local ER and found out that I had a heart attack at only 50 years of age! I was transferred to a different hospital, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s (it was a […]
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Victoria Weibel
I was driving with my husband when I had a fatal heart attack. He grabbed the wheel and was able to bring us to a stop. A lady on scene performed CPR and brought me back. Paramedics then took me to Prairie Heart Institute. That was the luckiest day of my life. Dr. Jeff Christy […]
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Steve Pace
When Steve Pace collapsed on the floor, his wife Carmen dialed 9-1-1 and immediately began chest compressions. She wasn’t certain she was using the proper technique, but doctors, nurses and first responders agree that her quick action saved Steve’s life, keeping him alive until the ambulance arrived. Inspired by the story of Carmen’s quick thinking, […]
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Jim Healy
Cardiac Arrest, Cardiac Catheterization, Coronary Stent
Jim Healy doesn’t remember much from his collapse at FitClub, but his wife remembers getting the news. “I got a phone call from the FitClub saying that he had collapsed, that his heart had stopped. It was going by then, but that’s not news you ever want to hear,” Coreen Healy said. Jim had 99% […]
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Blake Cowle-Healy
The last thing I remember is the end of the race. Right after I crossed the finish line, I went into full cardiac arrest. I actually heard myself hit the ground. The EMS teams and HSHS St. John’s colleagues that were at the finish line started CPR and helped to save my life. I don’t […]
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Cardiovascular conditions affect more Americans than any other disease in the United States. It takes bravery to fight heart disease, and having a community of support makes a world of difference.