Husband and wife share survival story on National First Responders Day
A man from Madison went into massive cardiac arrest, something many do not survive.

But thanks to his wife’s determination, and a 911 dispatcher who coached her through, they are all here to tell the tale on National First Responders Day.

Grace Brueckner described the awful night in May when her husband went into massive cardiac arrest.

“I think it was around 1 o’clock in the morning. It was in the middle of the night. I got whacked by Stephan. I was asleep. I just feel him hit me hard. I was like, ‘wait, what happened?’ And then I can hear him struggling and I’m like, ‘what is going on?’ I turn over and I look at him and he is clenching his teeth and he is struggling to breath,” said Grace Brueckner.

Dispatcher: “911 What’s the address?”

Grace: “Someone, immediately! Madison, CT.”

Dispatcher: “What’s the problem there?”

Grace: “Stephan, he’s having a heart attack or something. Please help me!”

“As I’m talking to her, I literally see him pass out and stop breathing,” said Grace.

Dispatcher: “Is he awake right now?”

Grace: “No, he is not waking up.”

Dispatcher: “Is he breathing?”

Grace: “No, he is not breathing.”

Dispatcher: “Do you know how to do CPR?”

Grace: “No I don’t.”

While Grace did not know CPR, the dispatcher talked her through it.

Dispatcher: “Ma’am, tilt his head back. Okay, I want you to pinch his nose and give him two breaths into his mouth.”

Stephan was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital where he was placed in a medically induced coma.

He would spend almost two weeks there.

It was unclear if he would be brain damaged or if he would ever wake up, but his family was always at his side believing he would pull through.

“She saved his life, there’s no question about that,” said Dr. Eric Grubman, Yale Cardiologist.

Dr. Eric Grubman is the cardiologist who treated Stephan at Yale. He says his full recovery is extraordinary.

“He had a cardiac arrest. His heart was no longer beating and he was about to be dead. I think his wife, I mean it’s clear, that hadn’t performed good CPR, he’d be dead,” said Dr. Grubman.

Once Stephan got out of the hospital, a few months had passed and he was fully recovered, he wanted to meet the dispatcher who helped save his life.

“I’m so glad you pulled through. Yeah. I wouldn’t have done it without the two of you,” said MaryBeth Gamerdinger, 911 dispatcher. “I was just thinking ‘please make it,’ ya know, ‘keep fighting’ and I didn’t know at the time what happened.”

What happened, is not only would Stephan survive with no brain damage, he and Grace and their 12 and 15 year old sons would go on to host a CPR course so they and their friends could get certified.

Family friend Dawn Harris, says Stephan’s ordeal inspired her and the entire friend group to get trained.

“So we knew that if we learned how to do it, we could go on and save other people’s lives which is like the ripple effect,” said Dawn.

Stephan says he owes everything to his wife Grace and her determination.

“I love my family. They mean everything to me. I shouldn’t be here and I am so I feel very blessed and grateful for that,” said Stephan.

Stephan’s heart is now healthy and full of love, gratitude, and appreciation for life.