While CPR — even done perfectly, even with a defibrillator and other more advanced equipment/medications utilized — is not effective in the majority of cases, it is worth doing. Why, you may ask? On this page you will find links to numerous articles and videos of CPR success stories, for you to see what a positive effect CPR can have on survivors, and those who love them.
Read CPR Success Stories — Articles
CPR Success Stories – Wayne Schneider Here’s an amazing story published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune about a Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) paramedic whose life was saved by his own ambulance partner (plus police officers, firefighters and other HCMC paramedics on the scene) while out on a 911 call to save someone else’s life. After 68 minutes of resuscitation efforts, he was revived. “’This isn’t about me,’ Schneider insisted. ‘This is about the people who helped me. This is about people not giving up.’”
CPR Success Stories On this website you’ll find hundreds of CPR success stories about surviving sudden cardiac arrest, written for and submitted to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Foundation.
Watch CPR Success Stories — Videos
CPR Success Stories – Wayne Schneider This story about about a Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) paramedic whose life was saved by his own ambulance partner (plus police officers, firefighters and other HCMC paramedics on the scene) while out on a 911 call to save someone else’s life. After 68 minutes of resuscitation efforts, he was revived.
CPR Success Stories – Bob Coughlin This story is told from the perspective of the survivor (who want into cardiac arrest in bed), his wife (who performed CPR) and his daughter (who witnessed the event), as well as from the perspective of the paramedic on the scene.
CPR Success Stories – Brandon Hopper This story is about a 19-year-old man who went into cardiac arrest and was revived after 86 minutes of CPR. He survived, in part, because a “conga line” of responders jumped in to help, and “no one was willing to give up.”
CPR Survival Stories – Howard Snitzer This is a story about a 54-year-old man who suffered a massive heart attack while heading to buy groceries in a small Minnesota town. After two dozen responders took turns doing CPR, and after he was shocked 12 times with a defibrillator — for a total of 96 minutes — he was brought back to life.
CPR Success Stories – Tori Sorenson This story is about a university student who went into cardiac arrest while playing basketball. It’s told from her perspective, as well as the perspective of some of those who responded, a fitness center staff member and a fire department paramedic.
CPR Success Stories – Rusty Price This story is about a man who went into cardiac arrest at a gym and collapsed on a bike during a cardiac rehab class. It was a team effort that revived him, starting with his exercise physiologist, who performed early CPR.
CPR Success Stories – Mark Martinez This story is about a paramedic who suffered a heart attack in his sleep. It’s told from the perspective of the man, his wife (who began chest compressions while on the phone with a dispatcher) and their young daughter (who ran to get the neighbors).
CPR Success Stories – Layne Seger This is the story of a woman who suffered a heart attack while at work, got a ride home with her grown daughter. After not feeling better at home, they headed to the hospital, but she went into cardiac arrest enroute. The daughter pulled over, called 911, then started CPR. This story is told from the perspective of the mom, her children and a paramedic who responded to the scene.
CPR Success Stories – John Bertagnolli This story is about a man who went into sudden cardiac arrest while playing in a men’s over-40 soccer game. His friends assumed he had fainted, until they realized he had no pulse. Because of quick action by his friends, and good oxygenation through CPR, the man suffered no brain or kidney damage.
CPR Success Stories – Randy Corbett In an episode of the old CBS television series, Rescue 911 (“6th Grade CPR,” Episode 423, April 1993), a sixth grade student (whose father is a paramedic and mother is a nurse) performed CPR on his teacher in class, until other teachers, then paramedics, arrived. (In watching this video, please keep in mind that a great deal has changed in how CPR is performed in the past two decades.)
Want to do something tangible to help survivors, like the folks you read about above?
“The Minnesota SCA Survivor Network is a non-profit, grassroots organization whose mission is to support SCA survivors and their families, advocate for community access to AEDs and educate people about SCA and early defibrillation. Formed in November 2003, the Network is affiliated with the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, a national organization whose mission is to prevent loss of life from Sudden Cardiac Arrest.”
Click here to find out more about the Minnesota Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivor Network and to show your support.