Photo from Family

Seconds from Tragedy, a Neighborhood Sprung into Action

On Wednesday, December 13, 2023, 17-year-old Riley Broadhurst, a Fleming Island High senior and competitive Ninja Warrior athlete, set out for what should have been a routine run. He was just doors away from his home on Castille Drive when he suddenly collapsed in a neighbor’s yard. Despite his peak physical condition, described by his father, Dr. Christian Broadhurst, as that of an “athletic monster”, Riley had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest with no prior warning signs.

The odds of survival for such an event are remarkably low, but a series of precise, life-saving coincidences intervened. It began when Vivian Primizic decided to leave her son’s house early that day. Her timely departure allowed her to discover Riley and scream for help, alerting a group of neighbors who possessed the exact skills needed to save his life.

The Chain of Survival

The response was immediate and professional. Three neighbors, each with critical backgrounds in emergency response and CPR, took charge of the scene:

Pratt, who has spent 15 years in emergency rooms, noted that this experience was different. “It was in a street in my next-door neighbor’s house. It was personal,” she shared. Even Bobby Dopson, struggling through his own recovery from surgery five weeks prior, was fueled by adrenaline to assist.

Clay County Fire Rescue arrived shortly thereafter, utilizing a defibrillator to shock Riley’s heart three times before a normal rhythm was restored.

A Path to Recovery

Following his stabilization at HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital, Riley was transported to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. His mother, Dr. Jennifer Broadhurst, noted that while the family faced a “horrific experience,” they felt as though they had “won the lottery” given the outcome.

Riley’s recovery has been steady:

• Medical Progress: His heart passed a stress test “with flying colors,” and he underwent an MRI to assess his condition further.
• Protection: He has since had an internal defibrillator (EV-ICD) implanted to manage his diagnosis of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation.
• Long-term Outlook: While he faces a long road ahead, medical professionals have indicated he suffered no permanent damage.

Divine Intervention

For the Broadhurst family, the timing of the event added a profound layer of emotion. The collapse occurred on the first anniversary of the passing of Riley’s grandmother. The family had planned a vigil for her that evening; instead, they found themselves at the hospital fighting for Riley’s life.

“I have absolutely no doubt that she played an enormous part in his making it through this in one piece,” said Christian Broadhurst. He remains eternally grateful to the neighbors whose presence he describes as “divine intervention”.

Riley spent 24 hours in a medically induced coma and 8 days in Pediatric CV-ICU. He underwent a cardiac ablation. Doctors diagnosed him with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation.

The Florida legislature has mandated EKG testing for student-athletes.

Reported by: Donna Ryan for In-Pulse CPR
Date: March 23, 2026, First Reported December 13, 2023 in Clay Today

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The Schammert family (clockwise from top left): Kym, Bill, and sons Cameron and Theo. (Photo – Emily Hardy Photography)

First Reported April 2021

The moment that would change everything started with something as simple as the sniffles. For Bill and Kym Schammert, what began as a routine precautionary visit to their pediatrician became a parent’s worst nightmare—and ultimately, a testament to the power of staying calm under pressure.

Their newborn son Cameron, just 13 days old, had developed what seemed like a minor cold. Better safe than sorry, they thought, as they prepared to take him to the doctor. But as Bill secured Cameron in his car seat, something went terribly wrong.

“He was as purple as purple can be,” Bill would later recall, his voice heavy with the memory.

The infant was gasping, struggling for air that wouldn’t come. Panic set in as Kym quickly lifted Cameron from his seat while Bill’s fingers found his phone, dialing the three numbers that connect us to help when we need it most: 911.

On the other end of the line, dispatcher Lisa Pachunka’s voice cut through their terror with steady professionalism. She ran through her checklist—was the baby choking? Was there an obstruction? But the answers painted a frightening picture: Cameron was limp, unresponsive, his tiny body fighting a battle he was losing.

“I was hoping I’d hear his baby cry after a few seconds,” Pachunka later admitted. “But that wasn’t the case.”

When it became clear that Cameron needed CPR, Pachunka faced a common but critical situation. The parents had learned the technique three years earlier during prenatal classes for their first son, Theo, but in this moment of crisis, their minds had gone blank. Fear has a way of erasing everything we think we know.

So Pachunka became their lifeline, her voice streaming through the phone’s speaker as she guided them step by step. She explained the precise technique for giving CPR to an infant: two fingers positioned in the center of the chest, about half an inch below the nipples. She reminded them to cover Cameron’s entire nose and mouth when giving rescue breaths.

Kym took the first shift, alternating 30 chest compressions with two rescue breaths, then Bill stepped in for his turn. Through it all, Pachunka’s voice remained their anchor.

“During the most stressful moment of our lives, she was one of the calmest voices I’d ever heard,” Bill said.

Then, like the most beautiful sound they’d ever heard, Cameron cried. Color returned to his skin. Life returned to their world. Paramedics arrived moments later, rushing mother and baby to the hospital while Bill followed behind, his hands likely trembling on the steering wheel.

At the hospital, doctors ran test after test—flu, COVID-19, various viral infections—but everything came back negative. A chest X-ray revealed the culprit: congested lungs that required treatment at the specialized children’s hospital in Omaha.

The transfer separated the family due to COVID-19 protocols. For two and a half hours, Bill and Kym waited, not knowing if their son was okay. “That was one of the harder moments,” Bill said, a masterpiece of understatement.

But when they arrived at the children’s hospital, they found Cameron’s condition stabilizing. By the next morning, the sniffles were gone, his oxygen levels normal. Doctors believed a mucus plug had blocked his airway—something his tiny body couldn’t clear on its own, but something that CPR had helped dislodge.

“We were surrounded by heroes and the best possible outcome happened,” Bill reflected.

The Schammerts knew exactly who their hero was. Bill arranged to meet Pachunka in person, a gesture that moved the veteran dispatcher deeply. She had never met a caller face-to-face before, but this case had touched her heart.

“As much as he says I’m a hero, he should get the credit for being such a great dad in that situation,” Pachunka said, deflecting praise with the humility common among those who save lives as part of their daily work.

When Bill returned to his job as a TV news anchor, he used his platform to share their story. Beyond thanking Pachunka, the first responders, and medical staff, he had a larger message: CPR training isn’t just useful—it’s essential.

“These skills aren’t hard to pick up,” he told his viewers, “and they could save a life.”

In Cameron’s case, those skills saved everything that matters. Today, he’s a healthy, thriving child, living proof that sometimes the difference between tragedy and triumph is as simple as knowing what to do when every second counts—and having someone calm enough to guide you through it when your world is falling apart.

The Schammerts’ story reminds us that heroes come in many forms: the dispatcher who stays calm in chaos, the parents who perform CPR with shaking hands, the medical professionals who provide expert care. But perhaps most importantly, it reminds us that any of us can be that hero—if we’re prepared.

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Shawn Martin and his family

First Reported, January 26, 2026, St. Elizabeth Hospital – When Shawn Martin suddenly collapsed from cardiac arrest during a morning walk, his wife, Emily, immediately triggered a remarkable sequence of events that saved his life. Just three days later, Shawn walked out of the hospital, an extraordinary recovery that defied the odds in cardiac care.

The Critical First Moments

The day began like any other quiet Sunday walk for Shawn and Emily Martin near their Southgate, Kentucky home. The peace of the morning was shattered in an instant when, without any warning, Shawn clutched his chest and fell to the ground. It was a sudden, devastating cardiac arrest.

Emily’s immediate response, born of instinct and perhaps prior training, was significant and life-saving. She immediately called 911, clearly communicating their location and the severity of the emergency. Without hesitating, she then began chest compressions, keeping vital, oxygenated blood flowing to Shawn’s brain and organs; an essential action in the critical minutes before professional help could arrive.

An unexpected ally bolstered this essential initial action. A retired firefighter, living nearby, heard Emily’s frantic calls for help and the distinctive cadence of an emergency unfolding. Without a second thought, he sprinted across the road and through the woods, arriving at the scene to find Emily administering CPR. He immediately took over, bringing his years of professional training and strength to bear, maintaining continuous, high-quality compressions until the arrival of the local fire department and EMTs.

This seamless “chain of survival,” started by Emily and maintained by the retired firefighter, was the critical foundation upon which Shawn Martin’s miracle rested. Rapid Response and Defibrillation

The Southgate Fire Department’s EMS crew arrived approximately ten minutes after the collapse. They quickly transported life-saving equipment 200 yards down the path to Shawn. Paramedics identified his condition as ventricular fibrillation (V-fib), a life-threatening, chaotic heart rhythm. They immediately applied a defibrillator, delivering an electric shock that successfully restored a normal heartbeat and circulation.

Thanks to the combined efforts of early bystander CPR and rapid defibrillation, Shawn’s pulse returned. He was quickly stabilized and rushed to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Edgewood, Kentucky, for advanced care.

A Race Against Time: Battling the “Widow-Maker”

The EMS team alerted the hospital, allowing the medical staff to prepare for Shawn’s emergency arrival. He was taken straight to the Cardiac Catheterization Lab. There, Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Stephen Schutzman diagnosed a 90% blockage in Shawn’s left anterior descending artery, a notoriously dangerous condition often called the “widow-maker.” Dr. Schutzman acted swiftly, placing a stent to reestablish blood flow to Shawn’s heart.

“In cardiology, we often talk about seconds and millimeters, how small margins can mean the difference between life and loss,” noted Dr. Schutzman. “Shawn’s case was a vivid reminder of that. Every moment mattered, and every person involved, from his wife to the cath lab team, played a role in giving him a second chance.”

Following the procedure, Shawn was transferred to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) for continuous monitoring and recovery.

Defying the Odds: A Lightning-Fast Recovery

The speed and completeness of Shawn Martin’s recovery were astounding, defying established medical expectations and astonishing even the most seasoned clinicians. Despite the grim prognosis associated with an estimated twelve minutes of cardiac arrest, a period during which his brain was starved of oxygen, Shawn was awake, alert, and communicating with his family within twenty-four hours of the life-saving intervention.

While he initially presented with minor, short-term memory lapses, his cognitive function rapidly and remarkably improved. Most critically, advanced diagnostic imaging and neurological exams revealed no signs of major, permanent neurological damage, a common and devastating complication for survivors of prolonged cardiac arrest. This rapid improvement allowed for an unprecedented early release.

Just seventy-two hours, or three days, after the near-fatal cardiac event, Shawn’s condition stabilized so profoundly that Dr. Schutzman, confident in his patient’s remarkable trajectory, authorized his discharge home to continue his recovery.

Dr. Schutzman, reflecting on the case, was deeply moved by the outcome. “Shawn’s recovery was nothing short of extraordinary, a genuine medical miracle,” he stated. “It was one of those rare and profound moments where every element of the chain of survival came together flawlessly: the immediate courage and presence of mind shown by his wife, the quick instinct and effective intervention performed by a knowledgeable neighbor who started CPR, the precision and swiftness of the arriving EMS team, and finally, the specialized expertise and dedicated care provided by our hospital team.”

The doctor added, “Stories like this one do more than just validate our long hours and hard work; they powerfully remind us why we do this work and, more importantly, they renew our collective purpose and faith in the potential for life-saving collaboration.”

Why Shawn’s Story is Essential

National data show that most survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest require one to two weeks, or more, of hospitalization. Shawn’s three-day discharge is indeed a rare outcome, achieved through a combination of rapid intervention, expert care, and community support.

His story powerfully illustrates the critical nature of the “Chain of Survival”:

Every link in Shawn’s chain was strong, saving a life and keeping a family whole. His survival is a stark reminder that you do not need to be a doctor or first responder to be the critical first link in someone’s survival story.

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Cardiac arrest survivor Mary Gordon (left) with her fiancé, Matt Costakis. (Photo from Mary Gordon)

First Reported August 2021

Mary Gordon had always been the picture of health. At 37, she was the kind of person who conquered 5K races and powered through intense cycling sessions without breaking stride. Her body was her ally, reliable and strong—until the day it wasn’t.

The warning signs began subtly, creeping in just before Christmas 2019. What started as unusual tiredness after an ugly sweater party quickly escalated into something far more sinister. While hanging holiday decorations, Mary found herself stopping repeatedly, her energy mysteriously depleted. During a shopping trip to Washington, D.C., the world briefly went black around her.

“Everything went blank,” Mary remembered. “But it happened so fast I almost convinced myself it was nothing.”

But her body had other plans. Over the following week, near-fainting episodes became a terrifying pattern, striking three more times—including once while she was behind the wheel of her car.

Concerned enough to squeeze in a last-minute appointment on New Year’s Eve, Mary arrived at her doctor’s office feeling so drained she half-expected to be hospitalized immediately. Something deep inside told her to update her account beneficiaries before the visit—a premonition that would prove eerily prescient.

The physician assistant’s examination revealed a troubling contradiction: Mary’s heart rhythm appeared normal, but her blood pressure was dangerously elevated. A heart monitor was prescribed to gather more data, and her upcoming flight was cancelled.

The monitor wasn’t entirely foreign to Mary. Years earlier, doctors had diagnosed her with mitral valve prolapse after detecting a heart murmur during college. The condition, where excess tissue in the heart valve’s leaflets causes them to bulge into the left atrium, had been deemed minor—”a two out of ten, nothing to worry about,” her doctor had assured her.

But as Mary left that New Year’s Eve appointment, her body delivered its most devastating message yet.

Near the elevator, she collapsed.

A receptionist heard her labored breathing and discovered her unconscious. Mary Gordon was in cardiac arrest.

For six critical minutes, the physician assistant and a doctor performed CPR, using an automated external defibrillator to shock her heart back to life. The second shock brought her back—though her first memory wasn’t of awakening, but of being in the emergency room, surrounded by her boyfriend Matt Costakis and a team of medical professionals.

“My brain wasn’t retaining information,” Mary recalled of those first confusing days. “Everything existed in a fog until reality finally started to sink in.”

The road to recovery required immediate intervention. Two days later, surgeons implanted a cardioverter defibrillator in Mary’s chest. A week after that, a minimally invasive procedure repaired her mitral valve.

It was only during surgery that doctors discovered the true culprit behind Mary’s cardiac arrest: mitral annular disjunction, a particularly rare condition that makes significant valve prolapse and dangerous arrhythmias more likely.

“That variant is the most prone to significant prolapse and may be more closely associated with the kind of arrhythmia she presented with,” explained Dr. Paula Pinell-Salles, Mary’s cardiologist at Virginia Heart in Falls Church.

After two weeks in the hospital, Mary returned home, eager to reclaim her life through cardiac rehabilitation. The structured program offered exactly what she needed—a safe environment to rebuild her strength, stamina, and confidence alongside other survivors who understood her journey.

“The idea of raising my heart rate or running again seemed impossible,” Mary reflected. “Having medical professionals monitor my progress made all the difference in believing I could get back to who I was.”

When COVID-19 shut down in-person rehabilitation, Mary adapted, taking long walks with her dog Almond. Still, exercising alone carried emotional weight. She now wore an emergency ID tag—a tangible reminder of how quickly everything could change.

“It was a weird transition and very emotional,” she admitted. “But eventually, I reached the point where I could venture out by myself again.”

Eight months after her cardiac arrest, Mary achieved a milestone she’d once thought impossible: she started running again.

One year to the day after her brush with death, Mary planned a celebration. She, Matt, and Almond would hike her favorite trail at Shenandoah National Park—a challenging three-mile climb to a mountain summit.

Despite cold, rainy conditions, they reached the top. As Mary sat on a large rock, searching her backpack for dog treats, Matt reached into his pocket for a different kind of surprise: a diamond engagement ring.

“I made it so easy for him with that romantic mountaintop setting,” Mary laughed. “I had to ask him several times if it was real before I finally said yes.”

Now engaged and largely recovered, Mary has found new purpose in education and advocacy. She’s passionate about helping others understand the crucial difference between heart attacks—caused by blockages—and cardiac arrest, which stems from electrical problems and can strike anyone, regardless of apparent health.

This mission has made her a tireless advocate for CPR training, skills that saved her life that New Year’s Eve. She’s already planning training sessions for family and friends, determined to ensure others have the knowledge that could make the difference between life and death.

Mary’s story serves as a powerful reminder that health can change in an instant, but with proper medical care, determination, and the support of loved ones, it’s possible to not just survive—but to thrive.

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