PEANUT ISLAND, Fla. — Bruce Brown and his wife Tiffany were on a bucket list vacation when their lives almost changed forever.
"3 weeks ago, I basically died. That's the crazy part," says Bruce.
Bruce went into cardiac arrest in the week leading up to the 4th of July. While on the beach along Peanut Island on the eastern coast of Florida.
"After we had done our walk, I went back in the water to tell my mom that I thought we were ready to kind of pack up for the day and head to the hotel, and that's when. Everything went south," says Tiffany.
By chance, Dr. Vincent Valente, a DO of Emergency Medicine in Orlando, was also on vacation. And his wife was sitting right next to Brown when his heart stopped.
"She's like, you need to help this gentleman. He was sitting right next to us," says Dr. Valente.
Valente and two other good Samaritans, a nurse and a Navy veteran, leaped into action, performing CPR for over 30 minutes.
"It felt that long, but it could be between 20 to 30 to 40 minutes long, it's possible. But, in those times, everything kind of stands still," says Dr. Valente.
Other bystanders searched for an automated external defibrillator (AED) on Peanut Island. Valente credits the following for saving Brown's life.
"Without an AED in his situation, he wouldn't be here. Today, I really believe that," says Dr. Valente.
Three weeks later, Bruce doesn't remember a thing from that day. But Tiffany knows, with a little bit of luck and immediate CPR, he has a new lease on life.
"That is what made all the difference was the high-quality CPR because it just kept oxygen to his brain and kept everything with his organs running, so it's very thankful," says Tiffany.
The American Red Cross says 90% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the U.S. results in death. But immediate CPR can nearly double someone's chance of survival.
In Bruce's case, that, combined with the AED, made all the difference.
Hillsborough County crews work six days a week to improve stormwater drainage
The ongoing restoration work is part of a larger effort by Hillsborough County Public Works aimed at mitigating flooding risks throughout the area. Officials are hopeful that these improvements will provide a sense of safety during this hurricane season.
