Carter broke through the window to grab the AED

Carter McHugh had just finished up his junior year of high school and was catcher in a baseball game at Lansing Christian School. After Carter caught a pitch, he returned the baseball to the pitcher. At the same time, the batter, Jerry, collapsed at home plate with an apparent heart attack. As people rushed to help Jerry and start to give him CPR, Shannon Damesworth, who is the mother of one of… Read More

My performing CPR is why he is alive now

Early afternoon, on June 16th, 2021, when everything was going just fine and with no signs, Kasper, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, went into cardiac arrest, flat lined, and needed to be shocked back to life. Elaina called 911 and I performed CPR on him until the medics arrived. We were rushed to a local hospital and then airlifted to Delaware for his usual health team.  He is now fairly… Read More

My son saved my life

I had been hospitalized for an upper respiratory infection for a week. I was sent home on a Sunday and on Wednesday following, my (adult) son stayed home with me because he said I "didn't look good". I called him into my bedroom and told him I couldn't breathe, turned my head, and died. He got me out of bed, started CPR and called the Medics.  Nominated by Susan Uhler

If it weren’t for Ailene's quick and decisive actions, I would not be here today

I am sure you will receive many nominations for the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation’s People Saving People™ Award, all more than worthy of the honor. When I read the criteria for submissions, I knew I just had to nominate my hero, Ailene Connor-Albarron, as she is truly an “ordinary” person with an extraordinary spirit who helped save my life.  On Friday, June 25, 2021, at age 43, I went into… Read More

Life is precious and I am grateful to be here

It was the evening of Friday June 12, 2020. My son Joshua and I had just started playing tennis at the Stratford Tennis Club. We had only rallied a few times when I dropped on the court.  I am told that Joshua rushed to my side and yelled for help. Corry and Juliet who were playing tennis on the court next to us rushed to my aid and started to apply CPR. The tennis staff at the club house called… Read More

Agonal breathing alerted my wife

My wife awoke at 5:45 am to my agonal breathing. Turning on the light, she saw I was not breathing effectively and had turned purple. She called the Marriott front desk and told them to call 911--her husband was dying. She started CPR and then thought to go open the security latch on the condo door. Coming back to the bedroom, she saw her cell phone and called 911 herself. THIS started the… Read More

Fishing trip buddies save the life of their friend--thanks in part to a company's decision to invest in AEDs 10 years earlier

On Wednesday August 25, 2021, a group of friends were headed out to enjoy the afternoon on Flathead Lake in the Northwest Region of Montana. As they cruised away from the shoreline, one of the passengers stated he wasn’t feeling well and collapsed. The driver wheeled the boat around to head back to shore. The group frantically lifted their friend out of the vessel onto an adjacent concrete… Read More

We have a pulse!

It was a mundane morning for me and my wife Lynn. We went grocery shopping, stopped at the bank, and picked up something from the hardware store. We then returned home. All was well until Lynn’s heart happened to stop and I found her laying on the floor by the dining room table. I’ll never forget it. On July 31, 2020 at 10:14am I called 911 and began administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation… Read More

She was only 4, but she helped save my life

I was getting my four-year-old daughter, Athena, ready for preschool, when she heard me collapse in the bathroom. Her dad had already left for work. She called 911 and stayed on the line until EMS arrived and unlocked the front door to let them in. I absolutely would not have survived if she hadn't called 911. Nominated by Yvonne Spear

Every night before bed, I thank my wife

February 1, 2013 was the day that changed our lives forever. After we had gone to bed that night, my wife felt my back and realized that my heart had stopped. She performed CPR until the EMTs arrived. They used the AED twice in the bedroom, twice in the ambulance and a couple more times in the hospital ICU. I spent the next two weeks in a coma. My wife was by my side everyday. After waking up, I… Read More