Lexington heart attack survivor credits bystander CPR with saving his life

June is National Men’s Health Month and this week is National CPR and AED Awareness Week. One heart attack survivor says if bystanders hadn’t come to his aid after he collapsed, he wouldn’t be here today.

“The reason I’m here today is because of CPR,” said John Cioci, a heart attack survivor.

Collapse at the finish line

It was September 2017. Cioci was 45 years old and competing in a triathlon. During the race, he noticed he was a little more fatigued than normal.

“I actually collapsed at the finish line due to blockage in one of the arteries around my heart,” Cioci said.

“I don’t remember anything other than crossing that finish line, taking a deep breath and lights out,” he said.

He was told later he didn’t have a pulse and bystanders jumped in and performed CPR.

“About five individuals rotated doing CPR on me for 15 minutes I found out later,” Cioci said.

Cioci is grateful those individuals didn’t hesitate and jumped right into action.

“That really was the difference between me not making it and being here today,” he said.

CPR can double or triple survival chances

According to the American Heart Association, CPR when performed immediately can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.

Seventy percent of cardiac arrests happen inside the home, meaning there is a high chance of dealing with this medical emergency with a family member.

Dr. Vedant Gupta, director of the UK Gill Heart and Vascular Institute, said two things drive positive outcomes: someone nearby willing to do chest compressions and a nearby AED.

“Just having those things can increase survival two to three fold, maybe even more,” Gupta said.

Gupta said there are large areas of the commonwealth where immediate healthcare is not available, making it all the more important for people in the community to be comfortable with knowing how to do CPR until help can arrive.

“Those minutes are everything. Time is tissue in our world,” Gupta said.

Broken ribs a sign CPR was done right

Cioci recovered from the heart attack but did have some broken ribs from those who administered CPR.

“I’m so grateful that it hurt like it did because that means the CPR was done right and done when it needed to be done,” Cioci said.

Cioci is the board chair of the American Heart Association. Now his mission is creating a nation of lifesavers — people who will learn CPR and jump into action.