A resident of Ann Arbor Michigan was riding his bike when he notice a car traveling unusually slow. That car eventually rear ended a parked car. This resident went over and checked on the driver who was unconscious with barely a pulse.
Fortunately for the drive, this resident was also a trained physician and immediately began CPR until a firefighter arrived with an AED. The two of them continued CPR until the paramedics arrived and were able to get the driver to a stable rhythm and transport him to the hospital.
This physicians name was Gardner Yost who was a thoracic surgeon. Since he was in the right place at the right time and he had the skills in CPR, this driver survived. It was found that he had suffered an artery blockage, and chances of survival were very low if nobody intervened when they did.
As a result of his heroic actions, Gardner Yost was recognized several months later with the Civilian Lifesaving Award from the Ann Arbor Fire Department. This award normally given twice a extraordinary civilians who go above and beyond to save a life, was constantly getting pushed back as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
That driver, as a result of the heroic actions of Dr. Yost being at the right place at the right time with the right skills, is expected to make a full recovery and is now undergoing rehab.
Yost said that CPR is something that anybody can do. It is not a difficult skill to learn. He urges everyone, not just healthcare workers to get certified in Basic Life Support (BLS). You will never know when you will be thrust into a life-saving situation.
If you have any questions at all about Basic Life Support (BLS), please feel free to reach out to me. I am always here to help.
Dr. Jay Hershman
Professor of Medicine and Founder of Dr J CPR USA
T. 913.515.7925
E. drjcprusa@gmail.com
W. www.drjcpr.com