Patients Reunite With the First Responders Who Restarted Their Hearts
Richard Tyczkowski can’t remember anything from April 20, 2017 — but the people who saved his life will never forget that day.
This powerful story was first reported by the Windsor Star, and you can read the full original article here:
➡️ Patients reunite with heart-starting first responders who saved their lives
That was the morning he suffered his sixth and most severe heart attack. His wife, two neighbours, firefighters, and paramedics all worked together to keep him alive long enough to reach the hospital. Their actions brought him back from the brink and gave him a second chance at life.
A Powerful Reunion at Survivor Day
At the seventh annual Essex-Windsor EMS Survivor Day, Tyczkowski reunited with the team of first responders who saved him. The emotional event, held at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts, honours survivors of cardiac arrest and the people who helped them survive.
“I have no memory of it whatsoever — not even my first month in the hospital,” he admitted. “From what people have told me the EMS did for me, and how good the hospital staff was, I couldn’t be happier or more appreciative.”
Meeting his rescuers brought him to tears. “It feels fantastic,” he said, trying to steady his emotions.
Neighbours Performed CPR Before First Responders Arrived
Windsor Fire and Rescue Capt. Anthony Revenberg was among the first on scene. When his crew entered the home, they found Tyczkowski’s neighbours already performing CPR — a critical factor in his survival.
“Early CPR gives anyone a better chance at survival,” Revenberg explained.
His team took over CPR, provided oxygen, and attached a defibrillator. The device showed a shockable rhythm, and firefighters delivered two shocks before paramedics arrived.
Four Shocks and a Second Chance
Paramedics continued resuscitation efforts, delivering two additional shocks. Moments later, Tyczkowski’s heart restarted and he began breathing again on his own. He was then transported to hospital for further treatment.
During the ceremony, EMS staff referred to him as the “miracle man.”
“I’m a very lucky man,” he shared. Even his doctor told him she was amazed he survived based on the medical readings.
Celebrating the Team That Saves Lives
Survivor Day also honoured a wide network of responders — dispatchers, bystanders, firefighters, paramedics, nurses, and physicians — all part of the life-saving chain.
In 2017 alone, 104 paramedics, 87 firefighters, 20 dispatchers, 32 bystanders, and two public-access defibrillators helped save 46 lives in Essex-Windsor.
“This is a community effort,” said Essex-Windsor EMS Chief Bruce Krauter. “It’s not just one individual — it’s the whole team.”
Another Survivor’s Story: Jennifer Svenson
Another emotional reunion came when Jennifer Svenson, a mother of two, embraced the paramedic who saved her life after a severe electrical shock left her without a pulse in 2017.
Paramedics revived her with two defibrillator shocks during a chaotic, high-trauma call. She was given just a 1% chance of survival, yet she survived thanks to early intervention and skilled EMS care.
Learn CPR. Save a Life.
These stories highlight one powerful truth:
Immediate CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest.
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