Posted on 11/09/2019
Jennifer and Kyle Hayes and family
Jennifer and Kyle Hayes and family

Survivor: Jennifer and Micah Hayes

Date of Event:

Location of Event: Home (Eastvale, CA)

Rescuer(s):
Kyle Hayes

I would like to nominate my husband, Kyle Hayes for the People Saving People Award. His quick actions not only saved my life, but our son’s life on November 9, 2017 after I suffered a cardiac arrest while 30 weeks pregnant. The day started completely normal and my pregnancy had been perfect up to that point. That evening, after Kyle, our 3-year-old son, Matthew, and I returned home, I carried Matthew upstairs to bed as usual. Moments after entering Matthew’s room, I collapsed. Kyle rushed in and found me face down, unresponsive, and having a seizure. Kyle knew he had to act fast for my life, and the life of our unborn son. He immediately called 911 and was instructed to by the dispatcher to begin CPR. Moments later, he recalled our neighbor, Russ, who is a police officer was home. Knowing that Russ was CPR trained, Kyle immediately ran across the street to solicit help. He pounded on Russ’ door. Not waiting for an answer, Kyle quickly returned home and performed CPR with guidance from the dispatcher. Meanwhile, Russ answered his door, perplexed. He keenly noticed our front door was open and came to check on us. Kyle summoned Russ upstairs, who took over compressions until the first responders arrived. When paramedics arrived, they identified I was in ventricular fibrillation. I received two shocks and a total of 15 minutes of CPR before my heart returned to a normal rhythm. I was intubated and taken to the ED where I continued to have seizures. Due to my pregnancy, I was airlifted to a higher, more specialized level of care. Upon my arrival to ICU, tests were performed and it was determined the likely cause of my cardiac arrest was eclampsia. The cure was to deliver the baby. In the early morning of November 10, 2017, our son Micah Hayes was delivered via C-section, 10 weeks early. He was born limp, grey and not breathing, weighing only 3.5 pounds. He was intubated and admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Following my C-section, targeted temperature management was initiated and maintained for 24 hours. The following day, I was extubated and four days after my cardiac arrest, I had the opportunity to meet my second son, Micah. After eight days in the hospital, I was discharged home with no neurological impairments other than short-term memory loss. Micah remained in the NICU for 71 days, meeting every milestone along the way. On January 21, 2018, he was discharged home. At home, he continued to grow and thrive. Today, we are both doing remarkable with no neurological or physical impairments. Micah is hitting all his developmental milestones. If not for Kyle, I am confident that Micah and I would not be alive today, doing as well as we are. His quick actions in calling 911 and starting CPR not only saved one life, but two. For this, it would be an honor to recognize him with the People Saving People Award.

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