Doctor Running Marathon Saves Lives Of 2 Runners Who Went Into Cardiac Arrest During Race
A California cardiologist was in the right place at the right time when he miraculously saved two runners lives who went into cardiac arrest within hours of each other during the Monterey Bay Half Marathon.
Dr. Steve Lome just happened to be running in that same marathon and quickly sprang into action when he witnessed the runners in distress.
It started just three miles into the race when Lome saw 67-year-old Greg Gonzales collapse out of nowhere. Lome just happened to be running right behind him and quickly checked his pulse.
When he didn't feel a pulse and noticed that he wasn't breathing, Lome quickly administered chest compressions while he waited for paramedics to arrive with a defibrillator. His heart was jumpstarted before he was transported to a nearby hospital.
After saving Gonzalez' life, Lome continued running and never expected that he would save yet another life once he crossed the finish line two hours later.
Once he finished the race, he heard someone yell that help was needed. Lome looked over to see another runner lying on the ground.
This time, it was 56-year-old Michael Heilemann who collapsed after finishing the race.
Now, Lome was once again performing CPR, this time on Heilemann, who was completely unresponsive with no breathing or pulse.
Someone handed Lome the defibrillator and he was able to shock Heilemann's heart to get it started again, which ended up saving his life.
Gonzales and Heilemann had never met before, but they shared an emotional meeting on TODAY. They hugged each other and held back tears, so grateful to be alive.
The two of them then shared a special reunion with their hero, Dr. Lome.
Watch the heartwarming moments in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLkiEOKph9c
Growing up, Ashley always had a passion for writing. After receiving her Bachelor's in Journalism from Stony Brook University, she dove right into the professional world of content. When she isn't writing, she loves to read, travel, and explore the outdoors with her husband and two dogs.