Roger Watson Jr., Pinehurst, NC – 62 at time of event (2006)
Three times in combat and once in civilian life; it was that last one that nearly got him. Roger was a Lt. Colonel in the Special Forces, so he was used to dangerous situations. But he’d retired years ago, so it was a surprise to everyone that the most dangerous situation he’d ever encountered was in a fitness center. Enter the three angels.
Roger was working out, he’d moved onto the stretching and sit-ups when he felt dizzy and a beautiful blue-grey light led him to a peaceful place. Next thing he knew there were three lovely blonde ladies kneeling over him, pressing on his chest, breathing into his mouth and generally behaving very professionally. So professionally that they brought him back to life using an AED in just a few hundred seconds.
“If death is what I experienced, I’m ready!” Roger said. “It was most peaceful, like a deep dream. It’s what I now call my happy place.”
The first angel to reach Roger was Sandy Ritter, a CPR instructor at the gym. Justin, one of their younger staff members had seen Roger collapse and called out to her in the office overlooking the mat room. Kathy Summers and Michelle Blossfeld, working in the cardiac rehab section of the gym, also rallied to the emergency call, bringing the AED with them. Roger was lying on the floor in fetal position and turning blue, he wasn’t breathing and had no pulse, clear signs of a cardiac arrest. The AED diagnosed a shockable rhythm and delivered one shock. By the time the EMTs arrived Roger had a pulse and conscious, but only vaguely aware that he had collapsed. The hospital is literally across the street, and it took longer to get him out of the ambulance that it took to drive to the ER!
Roger has a family history of high blood pressure, although he had no symptoms and was fit and healthy. Despite this he did have some blockages and two stents were required. He underwent an echocardiogram and electrophysiology study which cleared him of any electrical issues or heart damage from his event. He now has two more scars to add to the battle damage from Vietnam, one for the catheterization and another for the EP study.
“Other than being shot, I’ve never been in hospital for any extended period. I don’t like hospitals!” Roger said with a hint of pride. “They wanted to cut my shirt off. I said ‘No, no, we’re not cutting this shirt off’ My wife said ‘Honey, we need to let them cut...’ I said ‘We’re not cutting this shirt off. It was given to me and it means a lot to me,’ ” Roger said with fierce determination. It was a regimental shirt given to him by the Canadians in Afghanistan on one of his tours for the army as a consultant.
“Live every day as if it was your last,” Roger advised. “This experience makes you realize what’s important in life. Your family, sharing your time with people you care about. I’ve stopped going to Pakistan, Afghanistan because of that. I was being away from my wife too much.”
He decided to quit working for the army, but was convinced not to. Instead he got a pay raise and a desk in North Carolina.
“I should’ve asked for this earlier!” Roger exclaimed. “I’m thankful I’m on this side of the dirt. If you’ve got your health you’ve got a lot.”
-Jeremy Whitehead