Seven years ago, local executive Jeff Roth survived a near-death experience during a workday run. In the days after, he and his family pieced together what happened. In the years since, he’s been rewriting the story of what recovery really looks like.
Jeff, now director of games at Booz Allen Hamilton, was on a routine run on October 25, 2018. A veteran of more than 70 marathons, he expected this lunchtime run past the U.S. Capitol to be like any other. He wouldn’t return home for another two weeks.
Mid-run, Jeff suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. He hit his head on a parked car as he fell, and nearby tourists saw it happen. Their quick action set off a chain of events that saved his life: one flagged down a Capitol Police officer issuing parking tickets; that officer began CPR while another officer retrieved an AED. For six minutes, the officer kept Jeff alive until D.C. firefighters arrived and rushed him to the intensive care unit.
At the hospital, first responders faced another challenge: Jeff was unconscious and unidentified. They answered his ringing phone; it was a window blinds installer trying to schedule an appointment at his home. With the installer’s help, police tracked his address, then previous homeowners, finally confirming who he was. Until then, he was known only by his patient code name: “Coldstream,” a reference to process of cooling Jeff’s body down to protect his brain as the coma was induced.
On May 9, 2019, during a city event recognizing outstanding cardiac arrest saves, D.C. Fire and EMS honored the heroes who saved Jeff’s life with the Cardiac Arrest Save Coin.
Those recognized included:
- U.S. Capitol Police Officer Thomas Langley
- U.S. Capitol Police Officer Pat Collier
- Captain Craig Kavlick
- Firefighter John O’Neil
- Firefighter Seth Miller
- Firefighter Tarkeya Peterson
- Firefighter/Paramedic Thomas Dailey
- Firefighter/Paramedic Christopher Williams
Jeff’s recovery revealed the hidden side of survival. Despite his fractured neck stabilized in a brace, doctors implanted a cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to protect his heart. The device prevents another cardiac event but comes with challenges including initial fluid buildup, false shocks and constant reminders at airport security. In two years, he’ll undergo another surgery to replace its battery.
Today, Jeff runs again, but differently. He sticks to busy routes and always wears his medical ID bracelet. “Surviving cardiac arrest is like being given a second life,” he said. “Every moment is precious, and you can’t keep waiting to do the things you want to do.” He’s now enrolled in UCLA’s film producing program and hopes to one day return to the Boston Marathon, which he ran 17 times before his heart event.
The spot where Jeff collapsed is visible from the upper section of the Greater Washington Heart Walk route, a symbolic reminder of how close help – and hope – can be. Jeff will join friends and colleagues on Team Booz Allen Hamilton at the Heart Walk on November 1, 2025, passing not far from where his story almost ended, and where a community of first responders helped it begin again.
His reflection: “A series of miraculous moments aligned to save my life that day. I chose a busy route, I was seen and the right people acted without hesitation. It was the chain of survival in action, and it worked. Every day since has been a reminder of what I survived, and a chance to make the most of this second life.”