Woman running late to the gym became a lifeline for a collapsed elderly man — thanks to a skill learned just 5 days earlier
People head to the gym with a simple idea of working out, clearing the mind and getting on with the day. But sometimes a simple idea takes an unexpected turn, reminding us how powerful it is when the right person arrives at the right moment. That’s exactly what unfolded inside a Michigan YMCA, as reported by WXYZ.
93-year-old Russ Loomis was following his usual exercise schedule when his body suddenly told a different story. He’d gone to cycle, like he did several times a week, but that day felt strange. “I said I don’t feel well… I could only stay on there for 20 minutes,” he recalled. Moments later, he collapsed. At that very instant, Melissa Gedrich, a mom, fellow YMCA member and someone who almost skipped the gym that day, walked in and saw him fall.
Without hesitation, she rushed to him. “I bent down, I measured where my hands were supposed to go and I just started doing compressions,” she said while speaking to the outlet. Just five days earlier, Gedrich had completed a CPR course. She was also unusually late to the gym that morning. Yet, she was exactly where she needed to be. For Loomis, that timing meant life. Heart problems had already claimed several members of his family. But this time, hope stood right beside him. “If she would’ve been three minutes later, we wouldn’t be talking,” he said. When asked why he is still here, he didn’t hesitate: “Because of Melissa.”
This frightening moment also connects with a larger reality. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 700,000 lives are lost every year in the U.S. due to heart disease. Coronary artery disease alone is responsible for close to 350,000 of those deaths. Just like Loomis, people are at a higher risk of developing heart disease or related health issues, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure, if their close relatives like parents, siblings, aunts or cousins, have experienced them. In certain situations, heart disease is also inherited, meaning it can result from genetic mutations that are passed along through family generations.
In moments like the one Loomis had, immediate action can make the difference between life lost and life restored. Inside the YMCA, Gedrich wasn’t alone. Staff members quickly joined in, continuing CPR and using an AED until paramedics arrived. YMCA spokesperson Latitia McCree-Thomas emphasized, “Safety is a priority. It's embedded in what we do in our core values of caring, honestly, respect and responsibility. And because of that, we partner with the American Red Cross to ensure that the majority of our staff are trained in CPR and AED.”
Gedrich never imagined she’d use what she learned so soon. “Never. Never, never, never,” she said, still in disbelief. Now, she hopes others will take the step she did, “Just get the tools, take the class… you can save someone’s life, possibly one day also.” Loomis is steadily recovering, grateful for every new day and deeply thankful for the unexpected friend who showed up precisely when he needed her most.