Posted by By Dave Somers February 28, 2025 on Mar 5th 2025
Heart attack survivor reunites with Spokane Valley firefighters who saved her life
Heart attack survivor reunites with Spokane Valley firefighters who saved her life
A Spokane Valley woman reunited with the firefighters who saved her life two years ago, thanking them with heartfelt words and Life Saver candies.
A Spokane Valley woman had an emotional reunion today with the firefighters who helped save her life two years ago. After suffering a severe "widow-maker" heart attack, she returned to thank the Spokane Valley Fire Department in person—an opportunity that first responders rarely get.
Fire crews said they performed CPR on her for an hour and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to shock her heart nine times. At the time, they feared she would not survive. Once she was transported to the hospital, they had no idea what happened to her—until now.
“Most of the last time I see a patient is when I close the doors of the ambulance and they're off to the hospital,” a firefighter said. “This was very cool. I am very glad we got to do this.”
To express her gratitude, the survivor brought a symbolic gift: Life Saver candies. “They're my life savers,” she said. “And my Life Saver candy was just a tribute so they can have their own life savers that don't require CPR.”
The reunion was a touching reminder of the impact emergency responders have on the lives they save—a sweet ending to what could have been a tragic situation.