TO THE EDITOR:
On March 21, 2011, a year ago today, I suddenly dropped dead at my job at the FedEx Global Education Center.
The cause was a sudden cardiac arrest, but no one knew what was going on at the time.
Thanks to the quick actions of my colleagues in the Study Abroad Office, however, I am alive today.
Everything aligned in my favor: Annabel, a temporary worker, found me on the floor of my office and immediately called 911. After that, she ran into the hallway and yelled for help.
Mark, our director of information systems, heard her call for help, ran to my office and initiated CPR. Mark continued pumping on my chest until emergency responders arrived, including campus police, firefighters and Orange County paramedics.
I can’t imagine how frightened Mark, Annabel and others in my office were at the time.
It took several shocks from a portable defibrillator to get my heart started again, but without a doubt, CPR saved my life and resulted in a positive outcome.
Without Annabel’s immediate 911 call, Mark’s CPR and the coordinated efforts of my colleagues, I might not be here today, one year later, enjoying friends and family and watching the excitement as UNC approaches another win during March Madness.
I am writing to encourage students and others in the Carolina community to include CPR training in their college experience.
I am walking, living proof that it works. It doesn’t always work, but it’s worth the old college try.
Contact your local health department or the American Red Cross to find out where you can complete CPR training.
