LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A trip to the bathroom during a Golden Knights game turned into a life-or-death situation when a 72-year-old woman collapsed in cardiac arrest, only to be saved by a nurse sitting nearby.
Jeannie Cunningham and her friend Linda Fucci were attending the Golden Knights-Blackhawks game on Dec. 2 when the medical emergency unfolded between periods. Linda noticed Jeannie looking tired and flushed before she suddenly slid down a stair rail and collapsed unresponsive.
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“Linda’s panicked, as we all probably would be if our friend just collapses in the middle of a public place like that,” said FOX5 reporter Evan Leake, who covered the story.
Quick thinking saves a life
A few feet away, Susie Teems was attending the game with her husband when he pointed out that someone was on the ground. The Las Vegas nurse immediately sprang into action, performing CPR on Jeannie while waiting for medical personnel to arrive.
“Just instincts kicked in, she sprang into action, started doing CPR on Jeannie while waiting for actual on-duty medical personnel to arrive, ended up getting her back conscious and saved her life, effectively,” Leake said.
Jeannie was rushed to the hospital in cardiac arrest and doesn’t remember the incident. Doctors later said her active lifestyle likely helped her survive the medical emergency.
Facebook post reunites lifesaver and patient
With no contact information exchanged during the chaos, Linda turned to social media to find the woman who saved her friend’s life. She posted on a Golden Knights fan page, thanking whoever helped Jeannie between sections four and five.
Days later, Susie heard about the post from a friend at a book club and realized it was about her rescue efforts. She had been trying to get updates through the ambulance service, but only knew Jeannie was responsive when she reached the hospital.
“She got very animated because she wanted to be able to find Jeannie again and was able to find the post,” Leake said. “They exchanged numbers and it just kind of took off from there.”
Emotional reunion over champagne
More than six weeks after the incident, the three women met in person for the first time since that night at Maggiano’s in downtown Summerlin. The reunion was emotional, with champagne glasses already poured when Susie arrived.
“You could tell that they were excited, but they didn’t quite know how to feel, especially Jeannie,” Leake said. “This was such an out-of-body experience for her.”
The women are now planning hiking trips together, having formed a lasting friendship through the life-saving encounter.
Medical intervention leads to prevention
The cardiac arrest led to Jeannie receiving a defibrillator implant, potentially preventing future incidents. The timing of the emergency, while frightening, may have been fortunate.
“There’s an aspect of this that could be a blessing in disguise because that could have happened at any time,” Leake said. “It truly was the perfect timing for that to happen, for Jeannie to be able to tell this story today.”
During their reunion, Susie presented Jeannie with a replacement Golden Knights jersey, as her original had been cut during the emergency medical response.
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