Tampa joggers receive award after saving man who experienced cardiac arrest on Bayshore Boulevard
TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa police honored the civilians who saved the life of a man who went into cardiac arrest while jogging on Bayshore Boulevard.
Chuck DeVeto doesn't remember anything from January 22. Not his bike ride on Bayshore, not pulling over, and definitely not what happened next.
"I have a heart condition. It's hereditary," he said. "And I guess that day was unlucky for me."
But his luck turned around as others, like jogger Meghann Scholl, saw him on the ground.
"Are you OK? Can you hear me? Are you OK?" Scholl asked him. "I then checked for a pulse. He did not have a pulse at that point."
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While others called 911, the registered dietitian and project analyst at Tampa General Hospital fell back on her CPR training.
"There's a part of you that always questions if you're doing it right since you have never done it before," said Scholl.
Meghann Scholl and Chuck DeVeto embrace before an interview with FOX 13.
To the tune of the 1970s hit, "Stayin' Alive," as taught by CPR instructors, she gave chest compressions.
Eventually, a nurse and doctor arrived and gave more chest compressions while Meghann kept his airway open.
Finally, Tampa police arrived, and Officer Stephen Hiles used an AED device to get Chuck's heart beating again.
"We did have a return of pulse and spontaneous breathing at the same time," he said.
For three weeks, Meghann had no idea as to whether he made it.
"I hate to admit this, but I was looking at obituaries, trying to see if I recognized his face," she said.
Eventually, the Tampa Police Department let her know, that he did, in fact, make it. They presented an award to her Thursday, in honor of all the people who stepped up to save Chuck.
"It is so easy to be pessimistic and cynical. It just restores my faith in humanity to realize that there are people out there who will go that far to help you," said DeVeto.
Meghann said anyone would have tried to help. The key is being trained.
"I underestimated the importance before," said Scholl. "I always had CPR training but never really thought I was going to use it. On a beautiful Sunday, Chuck really depended on me."
Several of those who helped Chuck were not identified to police before he was taken in an ambulance to TGH. Therefore, they were not at the award ceremony.
But Meghann said she accepted the award on behalf of everyone who stepped up.
Officer Hines was also formally recognized by the department at Thursday's ceremony.