Campus News

Celebrating CPR Certification: A Survivor Tells His Story

of

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 6, 2011) — Vicki Sageser, a first aid instructor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion (KHP) in the University of Kentucky College of Education, welcomed her friend John "Toby" Tyler to UK yesterday. Tyler, who is from North Carolina, had come to Lexington for the weekend with his wife Marti to not just visit with Sageser and attend the UK vs. University of North Carolina men's basketball game, but to bring his amazing story of survival to UK students.

In July 2009, Sageser and her husband, Gene, were vacationing in Wilmington, NC. In the early morning hours, they were awakened by a commotion in the hall of their hotel. A woman was screaming that her husband was having a heart attack, so Sageser acted quickly. She informed those present that she was trained in first aid and CPR and asked permission to begin. The man's wife agreed and Sageser began the procedure she teaches to UK students every semester.

"I told Gene and the others in the room that we needed to get the man on the floor to have a hard surface on which to effectively do CPR," said Sageser, who received her bachelor's and master's degrees from the UK College of Education. "They lifted him to the floor, and I immediately checked for signs of life. There were none, so I started compressions and breaths like I had been trained."

After 15 minutes of a continuous cycle of 30 chest compressions and two breaths, emergency personnel arrived. Ultimately, an automated external defibrillator (AED) was required to revive the man's heart. Although Sageser's work did not restart his heart, her ability to deliver CPR for such an extended amount of time delivered the oxygen needed to prevent any permanent brain damage.

Less than three days after the incident, Sageser received a call. The voice on the other end simply said "Hello, Kentucky. It's great to be alive." It was Tyler.

"We visited him in the hospital the next Friday evening," Sageser said. "It was wonderful to see him alive and doing well. We shared laughs and tears in that 30-minute time we spent together. I am humbled and so thankful that God used me in this amazing way with the talents and skills he has blessed me with."

To this day, Tyler has been living his life to the fullest. He had a pacemaker and defibrillator placed in his chest, and has not had any complications.

Since then, Tyler has wanted to visit Kentucky and share his story, which he was finally able to do yesterday in the William T. Young Library auditorium to KHP students, faculty and staff.

"I tell people that I have two birthdays now: my real birthday, and the day Vicki saved me," Tyler said to the full auditorium. "So pay attention to this woman here, because what she's teaching you could save someone's life."

Tyler says that Vicki has also indirectly saved an additional life by saving his own. Just nine months after he survived, his grandson accidentally swallowed a quarter and began to choke on it. Tyler was able to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on his grandson and get the quarter dislodged from his throat.

"I think one of the reasons I was saved was so I could be here to save his life," Tyler said.

An avid UNC fan, Tyler often jokes that while he is grateful Sageser was there, he still can't believe a Kentucky woman saved his life. Interestingly enough, Sageser is also a former UK cheerleader. The two thought this past weekend, when the UK/UNC game would take place, would be the perfect time for them to reunite and share their incredible story with the UK community.

“In those instances, we do it no matter what,” Sageser said. “He was in trouble and I reacted. I haven’t been able to tell my students what it is like to save someone using CPR before, but now I can.”

In addition to UK, first aid and rescue certification courses are locally offered by the American Red Cross Bluegrass Area Chapter. For more information, call (859) 254-8354 or visit www.redcrosslexky.org. For other areas, visit www.redcross.org to find your local chapter.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jenny Wells, (859) 257-5343; Jenny.Wells@uky.edu