Nurse saves fellow traveler’s life as he suffered heart attack in airport: ‘It’s a miracle’

A man Florida man says it’s a “miracle” an observant nurse was nearby when he began having a heart attack in a North Carolina airport — with doctors saying without her jumping into action, he would most likely be dead.

Claire Cerbie was waiting to board her flight to Knoxville, Tenn., at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on June 7 when she noticed Ken Jeffries, 57, in medical distress while they sat at the same gate, WBTV reported.

Aside from Cerbie — who is a registered nurse — no one noticed Jeffries was suffering a heart attack.

“Just the way that you were snoring and breathing sounded like you were having a heart attack based on what I’ve seen before,” Cerbie told Jeffries on a reunion Zoom call set up by the outlet Monday.

Without hesitation, Cerbie rushed over to help her fellow traveler and directed others to assist.

She began performing CPR on Jeffries after telling another good Samaritan to grab a defibrillator.

“We put the pads on him,” the registered nurse told the outlet.

“It indicated a shockable rhythm, and it shocked him in between while we were doing compressions.”

Cerbie — who previously worked at Atrium Health’s Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute in Charlotte — worked tirelessly with others on the 57-year-old, trying to keep him alive until first responders arrived.

Fortunately, after about 10 minutes of providing life-saving care, Jeffries regained a pulse.

“He had his own rhythm. He was breathing on his own and we kind of just stayed by him until the paramedics arrived,” she shared.

Jeffries was then rushed to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, where he received emergency surgery.

Dr. William Downey, a cardiologist at the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute who performed the surgery, said if Cerbie had not jumped into action and performed the chest compressions and used the defibrillator, Jeffries would have died, according to the outlet.

The Jacksonville, Fla., resident was overwhelmed with emotions while reconnecting with his savior for the first time since the medical emergency.

“It’s a miracle that I was at that place at that time when it happened and the people around me are there,” he wholeheartedly told the Cerbie.

“A ‘thank you’ is not enough, Claire. Thank you for what you did, I am so appreciative and indebted to you.”

The humble nurse responded that she was happy she was there to help and that her years of experience were enough to keep him alive.

“I’m very glad that I was there that day to help you out. I’d obviously do it again in a heartbeat,” she said.

“I’m so happy to see that you’re doing so well.”

American Airlines upgraded Cerbie to first class on her flight to Knoxville to show appreciation for saving her fellow travelers’ lives, WBTV reported.

Jeffries explained to the outlet that he hadn’t observed any signs or symptoms that he was about to have a heart attack before his cardiac arrest.

A heart attack — or myocardial infarction — is a severe medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is suddenly blocked, stopping the heart from receiving enough oxygen.

Every 40 seconds, one person will suffer from a heart attack in the United States, according to the CDC.

Around 805,000 people in the United States have a heart attack each year.

“About 1 in 5 heart attacks are silent—the damage is done, but the person is not aware of it,” the CDC states.

Eating healthy, exercising regularly, sleeping seven to nine hours a night, quitting smoking, and managing stress levels can significantly lower a person’s chances of having a heart attack, according to the American Heart Association.