American Heart Month: Local boxer shares how teammates saved his life using CPR

Isaiah Creighton has a passion for health, cardio boxing several times a week at The Jym in Allen. But in August, a routine workout for the class turned into a mission to save his life.

"I don't think we know how precious life is until it's almost taken from us," Creighton said. "I was doing upper cuts on the bag and that's the last I remember, and then afterwards I woke up in the hospital."

He collapsed.

His heart stopped beating.

Two classmates came to the rescue, performing CPR until paramedics arrived. Creighton's wife, Wandelka, says she was stunned when she got the call.

"I just couldn't believe it because, seemingly, Isaiah is a healthy man. He works out all the time, and you wouldn't expect to get a phone call like that," she said.

But it can, and does, happen. It happened to Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin just last month. CPR also saved his life.

"If you don't have effective CPR, bystander CPR, within 10 minutes, you have less than a 5% chance of meaningful survival," said Dr. Dale Yoo, Creighton's cardiac electrophysiologist at Texas Health Allen.

"I always like to say on [the] outside of our bodies, it's not always telling the story of what's going on inside," Dr. Yoo said.

In Creighton's case, Dr. Yoo is still not 100% sure of the cause.

"He may have been more dehydrated that day, potassium may have been low, electrolytes may have been off, maybe he didn't eat as well the night before—things he wouldn't even think could have caused or led to this point," he said. "But when you take all these factors and put them into the pot...that can lead to a vulnerable window."

While what caused Creighton's heart to stop is still somewhat of a mystery, there's no doubt as to why he's alive today.

"If they hadn't performed that CPR while the paramedics were in transit, I would very much be brain dead," he said.

Now he's back in fighting shape and says he'll forever be grateful to his classmates for his second chance at life.

"I saw them at two separate instances, and I was just grateful," Creighton said. "Gave them a hug, told them thank you. I mean, bought one a coffee. I know it's not much but how do you repay somebody for saving your life?"

For information on getting CPR certified, check out the following links:

American Red Cross CPR Training

American Heart Association CPR & First Aid