New Brunswick man saved from cardiac arrest at heart and stroke fundraiser

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The CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick Kurtis Sisk saw firsthand the importance of the foundation’s work on Saturday.

During the 12th annual NAPA Hockey Heroes Weekend in Moncton, Mike Oulton, a goalie for the Action Car & Accessories team, experienced cardiac arrest following a hockey game.

Sisk identified the cardiac arrest because of his first-aid training. He had a colleague call 911 and retrieved the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) from the Superior Propane Centre lobby.

Two off-duty paramedics who were participating in the hockey tournament helped perform CPR on Oulton until he received two shocks from the AED and was revived.

Sisk said the moment was a powerful reminder of the foundation’s mission.

“At that moment, my training and the presence of the AED were crucial,” Sisk said. “It’s not just about numbers. It’s about saving lives.

Oulton was transported to the Moncton hospital and later transferred to the New Brunswick Heart Centre at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Oulton experienced a second heart attack en route and was saved by an AED for the second time.

Oulton expressed his gratitude to everybody who helped to save his life.

"From the moment I collapsed, every second mattered. I can't thank my teammates, Kurtis, and the paramedics enough. Their actions truly made the difference." Oulton said.

Sisk said the goal of Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick is the have AEDs accessible in all public spaces.

"To date, we have placed more than 575 AEDs throughout New Brunswick, saving over 25 lives,” Sisk said.

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