‘It’s a miracle’: Nurse credited with saving man’s life after heart attack at CLT airport
Both the man and nurse were preparing for a flight to Knoxville.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A nurse is being credited for saving a man’s life at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
The medical emergency happened in the early morning hours of Friday, June 7.
Claire Cerbie, a registered nurse who used to work at Atrium Health’s Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute in Charlotte, said she was waiting at the gate for a flight to Knoxville, Tenn., when she noticed a man having a heart attack nearby.
The man, 57-year-old Ken Jeffries from Jacksonville, Fla., was also traveling to Knoxville.
Jeffries and Cerbie reconnected in a Zoom call with WBTV. Cerbie recounted the situation and explained how it unfolded.
“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 said to Jeffries.
The registered nurse said she quickly jumped into action and got other people nearby to help. She explained how she led the group in performing CPR and someone else grabbed a defibrillator.
“We put the pads on him,” she said. “It indicated a shockable rhythm, and it shocked him in between while we were doing compressions.”
Cerbie said the group of good Samaritans worked on Jeffries for about 10 minutes and helped him regain 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,” the nurse said.
Jeffries was rushed to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center where Dr. William Downey, a cardiologist at the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, performed surgery.
According to Downey, Jeffries would have died if Cerbie and others had not jumped in to help him.
“It’s a miracle that I was at that place at that time when it happened and the people around me are there,” Jeffries said looking back.
Cerbie said the chest compressions and defibrillator were crucial in keeping him alive.
Airport officials said there are approximately 35 defibrillators in the airport and more will be installed next year.
Jeffries said he is recovering and is thankful for Cerbie and the others who saved his life.
“A ‘thank you’ is not enough, Claire. Thank you for what you did,” he told the nurse. “I am so appreciative and indebted to you.”
Cerbie responded, explaining that she was glad she was able to help during the emergency situation.
“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.”
Jeffries said he didn’t notice any signs or symptoms associated with heart attacks prior to his cardiac arrest. Downey emphasized that heart attacks can be prevented with smoking cessation, regular exercise, Mediterranean diet, control of blood pressure and optimization of cholesterol.
Meanwhile, after springing into action, American Airlines upgraded Cerbie to First Class on the flight to Knoxville.
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