Survivor: Fred Stakelbeck
Date of Event:
Rescuer(s):Tracey Stakelbeck
For Fred, Tracey, and their son Luke, it was a race against time.
When Fred suddenly went into cardiac arrest, there was no warning sign. Tracey and Luke immediately began CPR. For eleven relentless minutes, they worked together to keep him alive while waiting for paramedics to arrive.
A Critical Recovery and Second Chance
When paramedics reached the house, they used an AED twice before finally restoring a pulse. Fred had been clinically dead for approximately two to three minutes. After three months of recovery, he returned to work with no lasting side effects. Today, he lives with a pacemaker and defibrillator implanted in his chest.
Fred is 57 years old, and he knows the odds were not in his favor. Nearly 96% of people who experience sudden cardiac arrest at home do not survive. He did.
He survived because of Tracey and Luke. They are the heroes who gave him a second chance at life, and he carries a deep gratitude and love for them every day.