A runner who suffered cardiac arrest during the Los Angeles Marathon and received treatment on the course that helped him make a full recovery, was reunited with the medical personnel who cared for him, Monday.
Jode Lebeda was at mile 20 of the LA Marathon on March 9, when he collapsed in sudden cardiac arrest, according to a report on the Los Angeles Fire Department's website. Medical volunteers from Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California quickly began CPR on Lebeda, and members of the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived to provide advanced life support measures. According to the report, Lebeda regained strong pulses on the course and was transported by an LAFD ambulance to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood in cricitcal condition.
Lebeda was admitted to the hospital's neurointensive care unit and recovered from the cardiac arrest. He has since returned to work and has resumed normal daily activies.
"The sheer number of pieces that had to fall into place to enable me to survive is staggering to imagine," Lebeda said during a press conference. "Words cannot describe the gratitude I feel for the trained volunteers and LAFD members who reacted instantly to save my life."
SOURCE: Runners World