9 out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital die. In most of those cases, bystander CPR was not performed. But we can change this.

Cardiac arrests happen at work, in homes, on athletic fields, and in neighborhoods everywhere, and the readiness of our community can be the difference between life and death.

On November 13, 2023, my dad and I were getting ready to play golf when everything changed in an instant. I walked outside to find him collapsed in the driveway, unresponsive, with no pulse. He was in full cardiac arrest from a widowmaker heart attack. Without hesitation, I began CPR, fighting to keep his heart pumping until first responders arrived.

He was rushed to UC Medical Center, where he underwent multiple procedures and spent eight days in the cardiac ICU. It was an uncertain and terrifying time, but he fought through it. And today, against the odds, he is fully recovered.

His survival is proof of the power of immediate action. CPR saves lives, and in those critical moments before emergency crews arrive, it can mean everything. Learn it. Use it. Be ready. Because you never know when you might be the one who makes the difference.