Son saves dad’s life with CPR in Forsyth County

Every day, an estimated one thousand people have a sudden cardiac arrest. Of those people, only about 100 survive.

“We need to really change those statistics, and CPR is what changes the statistics,” said Sarah Fedele, director of communications and marketing for the American Heart Association.

Jay Stone knows firsthand the benefits of CPR. It helped save his life.

“I was never, I don’t think I was the poster child for someone who was going to have a heart attack,” Stone said.

He wasn’t feeling great one Sunday morning back in May. He checked his blood pressure, and it was dangerously high.

A friend told him to get to the hospital immediately.

“My wife went upstairs and told the kids we were about to leave. Just a couple seconds later, I stood up and experienced cardiac arrest, and ended up on the ground.”

His youngest son jumped into action having learned CPR in school as his daughter called 911. His neighbor’s wife also came over to help perform CPR. The two performed CPR until EMTs arrived to take over.

“Without my son and what he did, there’s no question in my mind that I wouldn’t be here, and you know, I’m extremely proud of him and keeping a level head and being involved and making the choice to happen.”

It took 45 minutes of CPR and 6 shocks from an AED machine to stabilize Stone. At the hospital, doctors found out he had several blockages and needed 3 stents in his heart. But without that initial 45 minutes of CPR, it is unlikely Stone would have made it to the hospital.

His story serves as a reminder. CPR saves lives.

“That’s what the American Heart Association is all about right now and build a nation of lifesavers. What that means for our upcoming Triad Heart Walk, our goal is to try and have at least one person trained in every household on how to do hands-only CPR,” said Fedele.

Stone is now partnering with the American Heart Association so he can share his story.

He will be participating in the upcoming Triad Heart Walk, on a mission to encourage people to learn CPR.

“The more people that learn how to do it, the more likely there’s going to be somebody that that is present and steps up and performs it. And, you know, just like in my case, it, you know, saved someone’s life,” Stone said.

The Triad Heart Walk will take place Oct. 5, 2024 at Triad Park in Kernersville at 10 a.m. Register by August 6 to get involved at TriadHeartWalk.org.