Ottawa Runner Reunites with Heroic Nurse Who Saved His Life

Quick Smiles:

• A runner in Ottawa seeks out the stranger who saved his life after a sudden collapse.
• A nurse on a walk with her daughter steps in to perform CPR, playing a crucial role in the rescue.
• The runner and his rescuer connect online, planning to meet and express gratitude.

In Ottawa, a runner named Tommy Chan found himself waking up in a hospital with a pressing question: who had saved his life?

On May 20th, Chan embarked on a five-kilometer run, but the details surrounding that day remain a blur to him. The doctors informed him that he had suffered a cardiac arrest after his run.

Using a bit of detective work, Chan discovered through his running app, Strava, that he completed his run near Bronson and Carling at 7:50 p.m.

His smartwatch, connected to the app, showed a sudden drop in heart rate just after that time.

Paramedics later confirmed they responded to a call about a man in cardiac arrest near that location about an hour later. They used a defibrillator to resuscitate him, but not before bystander CPR was performed, leaving him with deep bruising and a broken rib as reminders of the strangers’ kindness.

Rewinding to May 20th, Tawnya Shimizu was out for a walk with her daughter when she noticed a commotion near her car. A man had collapsed.

“I could hear the 9-1-1 operator giving directions on CPR and counting out the timing,” she shared.

Her daughter urged her, “Mommy, you’re a nurse. You need to help!”

Shimizu quickly entered “work mode,” introduced herself to the crowd and the operator, and began performing CPR, the lifesaving procedure known as cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

First responders soon arrived, used a defibrillator, and transported Chan to the hospital. Meanwhile, Shimizu was left with a mix of adrenaline and curiosity about the man’s fate.

Weeks later, Chan posted online with the header “Did you save my life?” and the message reached Shimizu. They managed to connect, with plans to meet and express gratitude.

“The biggest thank you,” Chan expressed when asked about his message to her.

“I don’t know what else to say. Like, I can’t believe you were at the right place at the right time. So I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

This remarkable story of CPR and strangers coming together in Canada’s capital is one to share widely.

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