A North Texas cyclist is alive after a bystander performed CPR during a heart attack in Westlake. Now both men urge CPR training.
An endurance cyclist collapsed during a ride in Westlake after suffering a heart attack. A passing doctor performed CPR until first responders arrived with an AED, keeping him alive. Now, one year later, both men are sharing their story to highlight the importance of CPR training.
NBC 5’s Bianca Castro has more. In Westlake, a chance encounter between two men is now a story of survival, gratitude and the lifesaving impact of CPR. Cellphone video captured the moment a bystander performed CPR on endurance athlete Bill Parmelee after he collapsed during a bike ride last February on a busy Westlake road."I decided to go ahead and pull over and make sure he got to the top of the hill. Keep an eye on him. It wasn't long after I pulled off that he fell off his bike," Evans said.Evans said he noticed Parmelee appeared unwell. When he collapsed, Evans began CPR and continued until first responders arrived with an automated external defibrillator, or AED. "One of the most exciting moments of my life was to hear him actually talking, which suggested to me that we maintained pretty good blood flow if he's already mentally starting to come back," Evans said."I've been fit all my life, been running and continuing to train, and held what I would call a fairly arrogant idea that I can eat anything I want. I don't have to worry about it," Parmelee said."That's just not the case."Now, nearly a year later, Parmelee said he has returned to his routine with a new perspective — and two additions to his life: a new grandchild and a lifelong friend."He would have been cold if someone wouldn't have stopped. It's not because I'm the greatest, just because I knew what to do, and anybody can do that," Evans said.February is American Heart Month, a time health experts say is ideal for people to become certified in CPR and AED use through organizations such as the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
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