Survivor: Michael Ross
Date of Event:
Location of Event: San Rafael, CA
Rescuer(s):Amy Leader
My memory is limited about the event, but I do know that I would not be here if Amy was not with me when I went down. So, I will let Amy describe what happened.
“Michael is my partner of 17 years. Last summer I almost lost him. He had come inside after watering the plants on a hot summer day. He looked at me and began gasping. Then he fell on the floor. At first, I was unsure if he was choking or just fainting. He grabbed me, then let go and started looking gray in color. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed 911. I was hysterical at first. Once I got the address out the operator said, “Now you will start CPR.” She guided me through chest compressions and I did that until the EMTs arrived and took over. It took them eight minutes to get a pulse. Once they did, they picked him up and off to the hospital they went.
I soon followed them and when I arrived, they were doing all they could to save him. He was put in an induced coma for 24 hours and cooled below normal body temperature.
I was overjoyed when he opened his eyes about 25 hours later.
“If Amy was not with me, I would not be here today. Because she started CPR, my brain was tricked into thinking I was breathing. I suffer from retrograde amnesia, but my heart has been opened up and I am in good health now. I will be 50 in December 2019 and the love of my life is also my hero.”