Incredible Life-Saving Stories Highlight Why CPR Training Matters More Than Ever
Life-saving skills truly change lives — and sometimes, they bring people back from clinical death. At the 7th annual Essex–Windsor Survivor Day, first responders were reunited with 31 people whose lives they saved in 2016. These powerful stories underscore how critical early CPR, AED access, and community preparedness are during medical emergencies.
📰 Original news story:
First responders reunited with patients brought back from death
31 Remarkable Saves — Including a Dog Who Saved His Owner’s Life
This year’s Survivor Day brought some extraordinary moments to light:
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A dramatic “Hail Mary” double-defibrillator attempt revived Allen Taylor — making him just the second person in Canada to survive this rare procedure.
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A family dog named Buddy “screamed” loud enough to wake the household and alert them to John Bradac’s heart attack. The family rushed downstairs to find Buddy sitting on Bradac’s chest — a moment that ultimately saved his life.
These stories were shared as survivors reunited with paramedics, firefighters, police, and 911 dispatchers who helped bring them back from clinical death.
EMS Capt. Cathie Hedges, who organized the event, highlighted how far the community has come. The first-ever Survivor Day featured just five survivors. This year, there were 31 saved lives — a six-fold increase thanks to better public awareness, improved training, and quicker intervention.
The Growing Impact of Bystander CPR
Dr. Paul Bradford, Chief of the Windsor Regional Hospital Emergency Department, credited several major advancements that continue to increase survival rates:
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More bystanders stepping in to perform CPR immediately
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Wider access to public-use AEDs
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Improved paramedic technologies and skills
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Faster access to cardiac catheterization
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911 dispatchers providing step-by-step CPR instructions
One of the most encouraging trends:
📈 More than half of 2016’s rescues involved bystander CPR — compared to only 1 in 10 just seven years ago.
This shift shows how community training and awareness can directly save lives.
Examples from 2016 included:
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A 72-year-old woman performing CPR on her husband
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Co-workers saving a colleague who collapsed at work
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A cousin jumping into action after a loved one collapsed at home
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An off-duty nurse performing CPR in a Wendy’s
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An unidentified passerby delivering CPR through a crashed vehicle’s window
Each life saved was the result of quick action, training, and people willing to step in when it mattered most.
Emotional Reunions Show the Power of Preparedness
Survivors embraced the people who saved them — often for the first time since their near-death emergencies.
Joanne Lajeunesse broke down as she hugged paramedics Zach Livingston and Matt Moore, thanking them for saving her life after a major stroke in 2016. Her husband and daughter also played a crucial role by calling 911 and staying by her side.
American visitor Steve McGowan, who collapsed while visiting Windsor on business, returned all the way from Illinois to thank the responders who saved him.
“I came here to work and I woke up a week later in Detroit,” he said. “It’s amazing they remembered me and hugged me.”
These reunions show the deep emotional impact that first responders — and trained bystanders — have on the families they help.
Why First Aid, CPR, and AED Training Matter
Across all 31 stories, one lesson stood out clearly:
👉 Immediate CPR and early defibrillation save lives.
Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere — at home, work, or in public. When someone nearby knows CPR and how to use an AED, their chance of survival rises dramatically.
More trained bystanders mean more lives saved.
For readers who want to become that trained bystander, consider enrolling in a local CPR and AED course.
➡️ Learn essential CPR and AED skills here: https://firstaidcalgary.ca/cpr-courses/
Be Ready to Help Save a Life
Learning CPR and first aid is simple — and it can make you the difference between life and death in an emergency.
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