Iowa man alive today thanks to co-workers knowing lifesaving skill

A lifesaving situation becomes a life-changing moment for a Des Moines man. When 43-year-old Nate Kessler went into cardiac arrest, his boss and co-workers jumped into action and kept him alive until first responders arrived.

It happened last December on a cold winter day on a construction site in rural Madison County.

“We were in the middle of a field. I mean we were out in the middle of nowhere,” said Home Revisions owner Nick Darland.

“We were just checking some measurements and I was bent over, and I fell over,” said Kessler.

He wasn’t breathing. He had no pulse.

Kessler would later learn he suffered what’s known as a widow maker heart attack because the survival rates are so low. But the father of one beat the odds and Darland is one of the reasons he’s alive today.

“Every time they’re pumping my chest, they could hear ribs breaking and or cracking and the breath coming in and out of my mouth,” said Kessler.

“The only thing I could remember is if you’re breaking the ribs, you’re doing it right. That’s what our drill sergeants would say, listen for the ribs,” Darland explained.

The Staff Sergeant in the Iowa National Guard went back to his basic training days as he fought to keep Kessler alive. It took ten minutes of grueling compressions for first responders to show up and rush Kessler to the hospital.

“They were a little concerned about brain damage because I hadn’t had any oxygen to my brain so they were preparing my family and friends, you know, Nate might not be the same Nate,” said Kessler.

He is and he isn’t the same Nate. He looks at life a little different now.

“I ask myself that a lot, why me? Why did I live or why did I get saved, you know? Somebody was watching out for me, whether you believe or not believe,” he explained.

Darland is a believer. That day changed his life too. It made him slow down and take a step back.

“I’ve got a wife. I’ve got a daughter. Just being present with them. That old saying- be where your feet are,” he said.

As Kessler heals from the broken ribs from his brush with death, he and Darland now share an unbreakable bond.

“He’s a good person, he has a good heart, you know, he’s my brother for life now and I can’t thank him enough.”

February is American Heart Month, and you can join the Nation of Lifesavers by learning CPR.

The American Heart Association estimates that 350,000 people suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital every year. Most of those cases occur at home and CPR can improve the chances of survival by two to three times.

“You can’t wait for the paramedics. You have to do this before we get there. You have to be that person that stands up and says I’m going to call 911 and I’m going to give this person a chance at living,” said West Des Moines EMS Assistant Chief Mark McCullough.

If you see someone in cardiac arrest, first call 911 to get help on the way. Then start hands only CPR.

“It’s a very unnatural thing to do this to someone and it takes a lot of force. It takes everything you’ve got,” said McCullough who is also a volunteer with the American Heart Association.

He says technique is important. You’ve probably heard the song “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees. You can sing that or “Baby Shark” to get in the 100 to 120 beats a minute. As you heard, you really need to push hard, two inches down on the chest, to be effective.

“You just have to understand that their condition at this point can only improve so you don’t need to worry about hurting them because like I said, they can only improve at this point,” said McCullough.

To learn more or to find a class, just visit this website.