A North Carolina man escaped death after suddenly going into cardiac arrest at home, thanks to the quick response of his pregnant wife.
Brandon Whitfield, 39, went into cardiac arrest while lying in bed watching hockey playoffs and eating carrot cake. According to his account shared with WSOC-TV, he suddenly collapsed mid-conversation.
His wife, Angela Whitfield, initially thought her husband was just tired or joking. A few seconds later, she realized it was an emergency. Angela immediately called 911 and performed chest compressions on her husband while waiting for paramedics to arrive.
Angela has more than 10 years of experience as a physician assistant, so she was well-versed in emergency procedures. Nevertheless, she admitted the moment was filled with panic.
“Nobody thinks they’re going to have to do CPR on their own spouse,” she said, revealing that the thought of becoming a widow briefly crossed her mind.
Brandon was taken to a Novant Health facility, where he was diagnosed with a rare heart condition he had never known about.
He said he had always been healthy and active and never thought heart disease could happen to him at his age.
“Just because you’re young and healthy doesn’t mean heart disease can’t happen,” Brandon shared.
After the incident, he had to switch to a Mediterranean diet and pay closer attention to his health — which meant saying goodbye to his beloved carrot cake.
The soon-to-be first-time father called the fact that his wife was there and knew how to perform first aid a miracle.
“It wasn’t my time. Everything was in place for her to be there,” he said.
From his near-death experience, Brandon urges everyone to cherish the present and not hesitate to tell their family they love them.
