S.C. YMCA Staff Celebrate Recovery of Cardiac Arrest Victim

May 24--Sam Anderson could not have picked a better spot or time to suffer his first cardiac arrest.

Anderson, an 81-year-old Belton resident known well among friends for his devotion to physical fitness, suffered from cardiac arrest at about 11 a.m. Friday in the wake of his routine workout at the Anderson Area YMCA.

He underwent quadruple bypass surgery at the AnMed Health Center on Monday, where he rested comfortably Monday night.

Among the 72 hours in between Friday and Monday, the most important times were the first eight minutes after Anderson lost consciousness -- and a heartbeat -- just minutes after completing a 1.5-mile run.

A friend hailed YMCA Wellness Director Wally Weathers, who teamed with maintenance services staffer Angel Cater to perform CPR until professional help arrived.

"They jumped in as soon as they saw him go down. One of the doctors told us that was probably the difference between life and death," Carol Anderson said Monday, shortly after her husband's three-hour surgery. "Another said if he was going to go into cardiac arrest, that was one of the best places he could have been."

"They're real heroes," Carol said of the YMCA staff. "If this had happened at home, he probably wouldn't have had a chance."

The Andersons completed a morning workout when Sam sat down to enjoy a cup of coffee. Carol, who spent 31 years as a teacher at Palmetto High and Tri-County Tech, made a trip to the locker room.

When she returned, she saw Weathers and Cater working frantically to push her husband's heart back into action.

"I went berserk. I saw them over him, pounding on his chest. They never let up, thank goodness," Carol said. "I couldn't tell if his heart was beating."

Weathers could not detect a pulse when he reached Anderson seconds after the attack. He instructed one staff member to call 911, another to get the automated external defibrillator (AED), and another to contact Cater.

Less than a minute after Anderson slumped in the chair, the portable AED was in place, providing electric shocks that restored heart rhythm, and Cater was making sure the air passage was clear.

"We got the machine on him in about 40 seconds. At that stage of things, every second counts," said Weathers, who used four rounds of compression. The Medshore EMS crew used another round on the way to the hospital.

Anderson, who served 20 years in the Air Force, has remained active since retirement. He typically gets exercise at the YMCA five times a week.

Weathers and Cater, a former aquatics director, typically teach the first-aid and CPR classes at the YMCA, where they have a combined 31 years of experience.

"It all happens so fast ... having that second person who knows what should be taking place at every step makes a world of difference," Weathers said. "When Angel got there, she knew exactly where I was in the process."

Cater sang the praises of the AED machine. "It makes a huge difference," she said. "They really save lives."

Weathers has used the machine four times over the years but until Friday, the machine had not directed him to use the shock technique.

As part of the Heart & Stroke Safe Community initiative, AnMed Health has given AEDs to area police departments, schools and other public places.

"When it works perfectly, the patient bypasses the emergency room and goes straight to the catherization lab," said AnMed spokesman Ross Norton. "AEDs not only save lives," Norton said, "they also improve quality of life post-event by buying precious minutes."

Satish K. Surabhi, who performed emergency techniques Friday and was part of the cardiac team that performed surgery Monday, expects "a complete recovery" by Anderson.

"They (YMCA staffers) did the right things at the right time for a patient who had no blood flow," Surabhi said.

Follow Abe Hardesty on Twitter @abe_hardesty

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