Dear AR friends,
I have been absent for a week from Active Rain becuase 7 nights ago my brother suffered a cardiac arrest.
Let me tell you, this is an AMAZING MIRACLE STORY!
On Wed. evening 3/24 my brother Kevin (age 58 1/2) had just finished playing a game of tennis. He is an avid player, and competes as well. He drove from the club parking lot (after complaining of heartburn) and got into his vehicle (* note: this is ALL on video camera because they have survey lance). When he got to the road where you would normally stop, look both ways and take a left or a right, he must have had the cardiac arrest right then and gunned down on the gas pedal. His car flew across the road, nearly got t-boned, hit a curb straight on, became airborne . Just seconds up the road, a sheriff witnessed this entire accident. His car crashed through a fence, hit a parked car and then an RV. When the sheriff got to his car (our hero, angel) it was locked. He was able to break the back seat window and free him from the vehicle. He was completely non responsive for several minutes as the sheriff (who is ALSO a trained EMT) gave him CPR. He had already called for back up, because he was actually in route to a burglary call- so his partner and he kept the CPR going until the ambulance got there. He was not responding well, however- they shocked his heart and got him on the way to the hospital.
Family was notified, and began to gather at the ER. Kevin was rushed in to cardiac care, and a stint was put into his main artery which was 100% blocked.
We were there all night as he hung in the balance between life and death. The sheriff came by- and he has actually known our family for years! When he saw my brothers wallet he realized this!
The next couple days he was in both a drug induced coma and they lowered his body temperature to 88 degrees, which is somewhat of a new protocol. This apparently preserves the heart and brain better in trauma.
We waited nearly 3 days, praying, wondering...hoping, crying, pacing...laughing at times, and we were flooded with people calling and visiting the waiting room which began to feel like home.
Once they lifted the coma slowly, we didn't know if he would have brain damage, and it was really tense.
He slowly began to come to and recognize us. He was able to answer questions aand follow commands.
The next day his sense of humor began to surface. We are BLESSED BEYOND DESCRIPTION that our brother, because of the MIRACULOUS INTERVENTION of that sheriff (what are the chances of that? it is kind of a remote place actually)is ALIVE and recovering very well!!!!! In fact he is being released tomorrow.
To put it mildly, God was watching over him. He is a really strong Christian, and I guess it just was not his time to go.
I am sharing this MIRACLE with you, so that you will be aware of your HEART HEALTH, and so you will give your loved ones a BIG HUG and let them know how much you love them! There is NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER that sheriff saved his life. We will be honoring him for a long time!!!
THANK YOU SHERIFF DALE WELLS, and your back up partner! Thank you to all who aided in saving my brother. Thank you to all at SACRED HEART MEDICAL CENTER who took such great care and skill of my brother.
We have been overwhelmed with support from family, church and friends. It really is a MIRACLE!
BethAnn Long ~ Spokane Realtor- Coldwell Banker Tomlinson South Inc.
509-362-4607
...there's no place like your home!
