Nurse Recognizes ‘Snoring and Breathing’ as Heart Attack Signs, Saves Man’s Life at Airport

Nurse Claire Cerbie saved a fellow passenger's life when he had a heart attack as they waited to board a flight

A quick-thinking nurse recognized the signs of a heart attack and jumped into action to save a fellow passenger as they were waiting for a flight at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Registered nurse Claire Cerbie was waiting to board a flight to Knoxville, Tenn., on June 7 when she observed signs of a heart attack in a fellow passenger, she told local network WBTV, which reunited the two on-air.

“Just the way that you were snoring and breathing sounded like you were having a heart attack, based on what I’ve seen before,” Cerbie told Ken Jeffries, 57.

She began CPR while someone grabbed a defibrillator.

“We put the pads on him,” she said. “It indicated a shock, and it shocked him in between while we were doing compressions.”

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Cerbie worked on Jeffries for 10 minutes until he regained a pulse and was breathing on his own. She then stayed with him until the paramedics arrived and took him to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, where he underwent surgery.

“Without CPR and proper use of the AED, this would have been a far sadder outcome,” Dr. William Downey, who operated on Jeffries, said in a report from Atrium Health.

He continued: “Unfortunately, less than 10% of those who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive. However, immediate CPR can double or even triple a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival.”

And as Jeffries told WBTV, “It’s a miracle that I was at that place, at that time, when it happened and the people around me are there.”

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Jeffries shared that while he did speak to Cerbie on the phone when he was in the hospital, he hadn’t had an opportunity to connect with her face-to-face.

“A ‘thank you’ is not enough, Claire. Thank you for what you did,” a visibly emotional Jeffries said on WBTV. “I am so appreciative and indebted to you.”

Cerbie replied, “I’m very glad that I was there that day to help you out. I’d obviously do it again in a heartbeat. I’m so happy to see that you’re doing so well, and you’re doing great.”

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“It’s a Godsend that you were there that day,” said Jeffries, who told the outlet he hadn’t experienced any warning signs of a heart attack before arriving at the airport.

Early signs of a heart attack include shortness of breath, pain in the back, neck, jaw or stomach, and chest discomfort, the American Health Association says, adding that for women, symptoms can also include nausea or vomiting. 

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