Edvard Isayan was saved from cardiac arrest by an AED, inspiring his son, Michael (pictured right, with Edvard), to campaign for more AEDs in public places. (Photo courtesy of Liana Amelova)
It started as a typical Saturday morning pickup soccer game in a Los Angeles park. Edvard Isayan had just scored a goal when everything changed. Moments after celebrating his shot, he bent over, seemingly trying to catch his breath. His 14-year-old son Michael, who was retrieving a stray ball, asked if he was okay. Edvard insisted he was fine, and the game continued.
But within minutes, Michael turned to see his father lying motionless in the middle of the field. He wasn’t breathing.
As a crowd gathered, someone immediately called 911. Another person ran to get lifeguards from the nearby pool. A bystander began chest compressions. Michael, drawing on a half-remembered fact about first aid, tilted his father’s head back to open his airway. When the first person performing compressions got tired, a second person took over while Michael began giving his father mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
“I have to help,” was all Michael could think.
The arrival of two lifeguards with an automated external defibrillator (AED) marked a significant turning point during the emergency. They administered electric shocks to Edvard’s heart and used a hand pump to force air into his lungs until paramedics arrived. Even with this support, the heart still struggled to find a stable rhythm.
The situation was particularly shocking because Edvard had undergone successful quadruple bypass surgery and a valve replacement seven years earlier. Doctors had assured the family Edvard’s new valve would last decades. Now, their only hope seemed to lay in the AED’s ability to restart his heart.
Finally, the device succeeded, and responders rushed Edvard to the hospital. A police officer drove Michael behind the ambulance. At the same time, Edvard’s wife, Liana, made her way there separately, juggling calls between comforting her son, providing medical information to paramedics, and attempting to reach Edvard’s doctors.
The crisis wasn’t over. During transport, Edvard’s heart stopped again. He arrived at the emergency room without a pulse. While a social worker comforted Michael in a separate room, the medical team made one final attempt at resuscitation. They later revealed they continued, primarily because they knew the patient’s teen son was waiting nearby. Fortunately, it worked.
To prevent brain damage and promote healing, doctors induced therapeutic hypothermia, lowering Edvard’s body temperature and placing him in a coma on a ventilator. His organs, especially his kidneys, had begun failing.
Doctors warned Liana that Edvard’s survival chances were “very low” after such a prolonged cardiac arrest, and even if he lived, significant brain damage was likely. A stroke during his coma further complicated matters as well.
Yet a week later, Edvard opened his eyes. Despite warnings that he might not recognize anyone or be unable to speak, he focused on his wife and whispered her name. In the following weeks, he gradually relearned basic skills—walking, talking, and handling utensils.
“It was a true miracle that he survived and returned,” Liana said.
Medical professionals later informed the family that Michael’s swift action in performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation had been vital, providing his father’s brain with essential oxygen at a critical time. They also stressed that without the AED near the pool, Edvard probably would not have survived—a stark reminder of these devices’ instrumental role in CPR emergencies.
Key Takeaways:
- On a seemingly ordinary Saturday morning, the tranquility of a Los Angeles park was shattered by a sudden and alarming event. Amidst a casual soccer game, Edvard Isayan unexpectedly collapsed on the field, leaving his son, Michael, and Edvard’s fellow players in shock and confusion.
- Michael’s initial assumption that his father was merely winded quickly dissipated as he realized the gravity of the situation. Edvard was unresponsive and had ceased breathing, the telltale signs of a life-threatening emergency – sudden cardiac arrest.
- Without hesitation, Michael’s instincts took over. While someone else dialed 911 and others began performing chest compressions, Michael, drawing upon his knowledge of CPR, took charge of his father’s airway. He tilted Edvard’s head back to ensure an open passage for air and even administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, his breath becoming his father’s lifeline.
- The arrival of lifeguards equipped with an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) marked a turning point in Edvard’s fight for survival. The lifeguards swiftly employed the AED to deliver life-saving shocks to Edvard’s heart, jolting it back into rhythm. They also utilized a hand pump to assist his breathing, buying precious time until the paramedics could arrive.*
- Meanwhile, Edvard’s wife, Liana, received the devastating news from a paramedic at the scene. Her husband had suffered sudden cardiac arrest, a condition where the heart abruptly stops beating. The paramedic’s words painted a grim picture; Edvard’s chances of survival were slim. The news was a substantial blow to the family, especially given that Edvard had undergone successful heart surgery years earlier and had been given a clean bill of health.
- The journey to the hospital was fraught with uncertainty and fear. Edvard’s heart stopped multiple times en route, and he arrived at the hospital without a pulse, his life hanging by a thread. Yet, partly spurred by Michael’s unwavering presence, the medical team refused to give up. They continued their relentless efforts to resuscitate Edvard, their determination fueled by a glimmer of hope.
- After what seemed like an eternity, a miracle occurred. Edvard, who had been in a coma for a week, opened his eyes. Despite initial concerns about potential brain damage, he was able to recognize his wife, a sign that his cognitive functions were intact. Gradually, he began the arduous process of relearning essential functions, his resilience and determination mirroring his son’s unwavering spirit.
- In the aftermath of this harrowing ordeal, medical professionals were unanimous in their praise for Michael’s quick thinking and the timely availability of the AED. They attributed Edvard’s survival to a combination of factors, with Michael’s mouth-to-mouth resuscitation playing a pivotal role. His actions ensured that Edvard’s brain received a continuous supply of oxygen during the critical moments of cardiac arrest, preventing irreversible damage.
- Because of this experience, the teen has supported adding AEDs in parks and other public places.
*Troy Bowman, Vice President and CFO of In-Pulse CPR stresses the importance of adding public AEDs in communities. He invites visitors to the In-Pulse site to check out the AEDs that are available and featured for use. Visit the AED Store today.
Make it your resolution this year to learn CPR and press for the installation of AEDs in your locale. Every small measure you take makes a big difference in the safety and comfort of you, your family, and the people in your community.
Author: Donna Ryan is a writer and editor. Email her at dryan8576@gmail.com if you have writing and editing work.
