Ted Schuler, 55, of Crystal Lake, had just finished his second game of basketball with his buddies at Centegra Health Bridge Fitness Center - Crystal Lake when he became light-headed.
That's the last thing he remembers before being put on a stretcher for a ride to Centegra Hospital - McHenry. When Schuler lost consciousness, some friends made sure his airway was cleared; others alerted the appropriate staff at the fitness center and guided the ambulance to the door.
"That is when the miracle happened," Schuler says. "Two Health Bridge Associates, Brad Boelkens and Rich Stromberg, reached out to help and began performing CPR, and along with Michelle Roig, MD, a CHBFC member who is trained in using automatic external defibrillators (AED) and happened to be on-site, ended up bringing me back to to life using the AED twice."
At Centegra Hospital - McHenry, Schuler's angiogram revealed blockage in three arteries. The next day, he had a successful triple bypass performed by James Gramm, MD, a thoracic cardiovascular surgeon on staff at Centegra Health System. Schuler was home in less than a week and is easing back into his twice-weekly basketball routine.
"I have to thank all the Centegra medical personnel, all the incredible nurses, and the wonderful paramedics who got me there," Schuler says. "Through it all, I witnessed the very best of people - from the reaction of everyone at Health Bridge to the outpouring of love from everyone I know. The next time you go to Centegra Health Bridge Fitness Center, realize this: You walk among heroes."