A Hockey Game Takes a Sudden Turn

Lorne Lyons, a member of the Ogopogo Senior Men’s Hockey team in West Kelowna, BC, Canada, was enjoying a game of hockey when he collided with another player and fell onto the ice. The 72-year-old got up, assured his teammates that he was all right, and made his way to the bench to rest. However, when he sat down and reached for his water, he suddenly and unexpectedly blacked out. He didn’t know it at the time, but Lyon later learned that he had a 90% artery blockage, and the collision caused him to experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

To me, that’s what saved my life: the ZOLL defibrillator was on the bench.

— Lorne Lyons, SCA Survivor

Preparation That Paid Off

Fortunately, the team’s first aid attendant, Grainger Evans, had made sure the team was ready for this very situation. Years prior, Evans decided the team should find and purchase the best Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on the market. After researching the options and asking what paramedics were using, he purchased a ZOLL® AED.

“When it comes to the choice of defibrillators, we chose the ZOLL defibrillator because it has a feature that others don’t have,” Evans explained. “And that is [Real CPR Help®,] which coaches you through CPR and tells you exactly what you should be doing to improve the pushing of blood around the body.”

Under Evans’ direction, the team brought the ZOLL AED to the bench for every single game, along with a pulse oximeter and oxygen bottle. Additionally, most of the team is trained annually in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use
of the AED.

With the ZOLL AED right on the bench, the team was able to spring into action, performing CPR, administering the AED, and calling for an ambulance, which arrived in minutes.

“The most important factor for me in my recovery and getting me to the hospital was the fact that the defibrillator was on the bench,” Lyons said. “I’ve talked to a lot of different sports organizations and asked them where their [AEDs] are, and they say, ‘It’s locked up somewhere.’ We arrange to have somebody pick it up every game so it’s on the bench. To me, that’s what saved my life: the ZOLL defibrillator was on the bench.”

A Difficult Recovery—And a Triumphant Return

Following his SCA, Lyons underwent triple bypass surgery. While he was still in the hospital, he experienced another heart attack and underwent yet another triple bypass surgery. Despite the ordeal, thanks to the quick action taken by his teammates, immediate access to the ZOLL AED, and the care of his wife and friends, Lyons recovered and is back on the ice.

“I waited until I felt that everybody around me who supported me was okay with me getting back in the game,” Lyons explained. “So I started out slow. This is my second year back, and I’m feeling great.”