Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere. Each year, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital in the United States. 9 out of 10 of those who experience cardiac arrest do not survive. The good news is that when bystander CPR is performed, it can double or even triple survival rates.
That’s why this National CPR and AED Awareness Week, we’re calling on individuals everywhere to take one minute to learn the lifesaving skill of hands-only CPR.
Cardiac arrest survivors – and CPR lifesavers come from all walks of life. Here are just some of the local stories that bring this issue to life.
Aubrey Spiess was born with coarctation of aorta, mitral valve stenosis, and a severely large ventricular septal defect (a hole in her heart). When she was just 10-days old and less than 4 pounds, her heart was the size of a walnut and needed to be operated on. Her chances of survival were not optimal given her size and her defects. When Aubrey seemed stable post-operation, her parents left just to shower, and in that short time, she went into cardiac arrest. Doctors performed CPR on Aubrey for 15 minutes; she survived and her heart stabilized again. Today, Aubrey is a thriving second grader and Youth Heart Ambassador – with her classmates and her mom, Ashley, she’s on a mission to teach 100 classmates hands-only CPR.
Bryan O. Buckley, DRPH, MPH was out for a bike ride with a friend on Three Notch Trail in Maryland when he saw someone collapse. Bryan and two other bystanders acted fast, providing 20 minutes of CPR to Christopher Holton, saving Chris’ life. More recently, Bryan’s sister Christina Buckley also took an active bystander role when a fellow bus passenger had seizures followed by a cardiac arrest. Christina called 911 and did CPR on the woman, who regained consciousness before first responders arrived.
Krysta Pearce, was a 30-year-old social worker receiving a minor hip surgery when her heart stopped on the operating table; the incident was known as “Broken Heart Syndrome,” caused by stress. After surviving this near-death experience, she highlights the importance of managing stress and advancing research and treatment for heart health.
Delya Sommerville, a public health leader and mom of two, went into cardiac arrest in 2021 while she was on a run at the U.S. Capitol. She was found unconscious by a member of Congress, who contacted Capitol Police, and officers administered CPR and an AED to save her life. In the years since, Delya’s advocacy helped pass the CPR Act in DC, requiring schools to have cardiac emergency response plans.
Mary Gordon was healthy, fit and in her 30s in 2019 when the holiday season brought increasingly concerning symptoms, culminating in a cardiac arrest in the lobby of the doctor’s office where she’d been seeking answers. Luckily, the staff onsite administered CPR and an AED and she was rushed to a hospital where she learned she had a rare heart condition, received emergency surgery and started the road to recovery. A post recovery milestone turned extra momentous; after a three-mile hike up her favorite trail in Shenandoah, Gordon’s now husband, Matt Costakis got down on one knee and proposed. Mary now raises awareness about CPR and the difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest.
Jeff Bosick was a healthy 47-year-old father of three when on Father’s Day weekend in 2021 he went into sudden cardiac arrest. His wife, Tracy called 911 and performed CPR for 10 agonizing minutes, saving his life. It turns out, Jeff had suffered from a nearly fatal combination of heart attack and cardiac arrest. In the aftermath, Jeff could hardly walk. Today, he’s made a full recovery, working as a tech executive having served as the co-chair for the 2024 Greater Washington Heart Walk.
Take inspiration from these stories by learning hands-only CPR. And remember, when a cardiac arrest occurs, every second matters. Act fast by taking these two steps:
- Call 911
- Push hard and fast in the center of the chest
Join the Nation of Lifesavers today! Share instructional videos, training resources and more in our CPR education toolkit presented by local Heart Walk sponsor, DMI. Looking ahead, join us at the Greater Washington Region Heart Walk, on November 1 for in-person hands-only CPR demonstrations to refresh your skills. Every walker who joins, every dollar donated, means more people trained in lifesaving CPR, more research and more lifesaving moments for everyone.