Posted by By Erica Patino Medically Reviewed by Ed Zimney, MD Everyday Health on Mar 2nd 2020

The Most Amazing CPR Rescue Story Ever: 96 Minutes to Save a Life

When a small-town Minnesota man suffered a heart attack, his neighbors and first responders saved his life by performing CPR for more than an hour and a half. Could you do the same?

Friday, March 4, 2011 — When Goodhue, Minn., residents Al and Roy Lodermeier, Don Shulte, and Candace Koehn first ran to help a man who clutched his chest and crumpled on a freezing sidewalk, he wasn't even breathing. Howard Snitzer, 54, had a massive heart attack on his way to get groceries this January, but thanks to a remarkable team effort, Snitzer was kept alive by dozens of people who took turns pumping his heart for 96 minutes.

The Lodermeier brothers are both veteran first responders with more than three decades of experience in the Goodhue volunteer Fire Department; Koehn was also trained in CPR. Goodhue has a population of just 800 people and lacks a single traffic light, but thanks to the lifesaving efforts of the town's heroic citizens, Snitzer has now almost completely recovered.

Could You Save a Life With CPR?

There's no question that Snitzer was extremely lucky — 94 percent of people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest die before reaching a hospital, according to the American Red Cross. But the organization says that ordinary citizens can save thousands of lives simply by acting immediately and performing CPR or using an automated external defibrillator (AED) instead of waiting for emergency responders to arrive. But most Americans are reluctant to take such measures: Only 21 percent say they're confident in their abilities to perform CPR, and just 15 percent could operate an AED, according to a 2008 survey.

Research shows that hands-only CPR — performing rapid, uninterrupted chest compressions — is easier for people to learn and remember. Bystanders are more likely to act when they don't have to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

What to Do in an Emergency

Would you know how to recognize if someone is in cardiac arrest?

Warning signs include:

Being unconscious
No pulse
Not breathing

Before starting CPR, call 911. The sooner emergency medical personnel arrive the better. But bystander-performed CPR greatly improves a person's chances for survival and reduces the risk of significant brain damage.

Howard was very lucky. He was surrounded by first responders when he collapsed from a heart attack. Roy, Don and Candace knew exactly what to do and jumped in to help immediately and saved Howard's life.