Phoenix flight emergency: Heart attack survivor reunited with life-saving heroes
Heart attack survivor reunites with heroes
Patrick McGee met the two nurses who saved his life mid-flight after recovering from triple bypass surgery. FOX 10's Nicole Krasean reports.
PHOENIX - Patrick McGee says he does not remember much about the end of the late July flight to Phoenix on which he suffered a massive heart attack. But two women from the healthcare field who were fellow passengers remember the emergency well.
One of those women, Nurse Practitioner Caitlyn Loucheim, says she heard an announcement asking for a doctor or nurse and sprang into action.
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"I said, ‘Do you mind if I take over?’ Because I wanted to really perform some significant compressions on him and I knew he didn't have a lot of time," Loucheim said.
Loucheim was joined by retired nurse Lora Holton. The pair worked together to continue CPR on McGee until the plane landed, and emergency responders could take over.
"You train to run what you would call a ‘code,’ and we're all trained in different settings and yet it was just, we fell in line together," Loucheim said.
McGee was taken to Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital, where he underwent triple bypass surgery. He says he woke up in the ambulance ride to the hospital, so Thursday, Aug. 20, was his first time getting to meet the women who helped save his life.
"I had talked to them on the phone, but that wasn't good enough, and I appreciate the fact that the crew here put everything together where I could lay eyes on them," McGee said.
After surviving a heart attack on a flight to Phoenix, Patrick McGee reunited with his life-saving heroes.
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Representatives with Abrazo say this incident illustrates the importance of learning CPR. McGee says he is grateful for the quick actions of the two strangers, who are strangers no more.
"I don't think it's gonna be the end of our relationship to be honest with you. This kind of thing sticks with you forever, I think," McGee said.