‘Lucky' man who survived frightening heart attack shares story to help save others

Three months ago, Steve Malach was visiting Highland Park on Halloween to trick-or-treat with his grandkids, when he suddenly collapsed.

“There was no advance warning. The only thing I can tell you was I was carrying my granddaughter and three days later I woke up in the hospital,” said Malach, 70, who lives in Michigan.

Malach would later learn he was in sudden cardiac arrest. His son, Jeff, ran to check on his dad, who had collapsed on a neighbor’s lawn.

“I just didn't know what to do, right? I attempted to put my hands on his chest. And I couldn't tell you if I got one compression, two compressions or zero compressions,” Jeff Malach said. “Luckily a neighbor walked out. And then very quickly, Ashley and Claire showed up.”

“Someone pulled me aside and said there's an emergency over here. There's a man down. They can probably use your help,” said Ashley Kelly, who lives near where Malach had collapsed.

Kelly is a nurse anesthetist at Endeavor Health Highland Park Hospital.

Her friend and fellow nurse anesthetist, Claire Farren, also got a phone call from a neighbor, asking for help. Both women arrived just as another neighbor started CPR and then Kelly jumped in.

“And I just said to Ashley just let me know when you're tired and I'll take over CPR for you,” Farren said.

“It's exhausting to do high-quality CPR, if you're going fast and you're pushing hard. And with Steve, we did end up breaking a rib and he did end up having a punctured lung and did need a chest tube, but in the end, he's alive,” said Dr. David Davidson, a cardiologist with Endeavor Health.

Davidson is friends with Jeff Malach and was up the street trick-or-treating with his own children when Steve Malach collapsed. He too got a frantic phone call to help.

“The important thing is stay calm, perform high-quality CPR and early defibrillation -- those are keys for success,” Davidson said.

Less than 10% of people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive. So the Malach family knows Steve is lucky to not only be alive, but also to have no lingering effects.

“We were incredibly lucky, but most people can also be incredibly lucky because we're talking about CPR. This isn't surgery. Anybody can do it,” Jeff Malach said.

That’s why Steve, Jeff and the Malach family will reunite with those who performed CPR at a special community CPR training event on Feb. 3 at Highland Park Hospital.

Steve Malach is traveling in from Michigan for the event, with immense gratitude in this heart.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That’s all I can say,” he said, getting emotional as he shared what he plans to tell those who helped saved his life.

“My husband said, you know, he was super proud, and he was like, 'You know, you guys went from ‘Mom mode’ to lifesavers,'” Farren said.

While they have medical training, becoming a life saver is something Farren, Kelly and Davidson all say anyone can do, if they learn CPR basics.

“Don't be afraid to go fast and push hard,” Davidson said.