Doctors Save Jazz Singer Who Collapsed During Performance

• Jazz singer Henry Ray Fischbach was performing his last number in a restaurant when he collapsed to the floor.
• Fortunately, three doctors were nearby, and they were able to do chest compressions to keep Henry’s heart beating until paramedics arrived.
• After undergoing an operation, Henry was able to return to the stage and thank his saviors.

Jazz singer Henry Ray Fischbach owes his life to three doctors who quickly responded to his medical emergency.

Henry Ray, 66, was performing in the lounge of a New York City restaurant one night when he started feeling ill.

He later said that he had been feeling fine until he started feeling light-headed and weak while performing his last number. What he initially thought was dehydration turned out to be cardiac arrest.

Henry’s heart eventually stopped beating and he fell to the floor. As he lay there motionless, the crowd called for help.

As luck would have it, three doctors were nearby. Orthopedic surgery residents Dr. Matthew Simhon and Dr. Andrew Luzzi from NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center were enjoying an after-work drink with colleague Dr. Marc Dyrszka, a spine surgeon from NewYork-Presbyterian Och Spine.

Someone from the restaurant noticed that one of them was still wearing his work scrubs, so they banged on the glass dividers to get their attention.

When they spotted Henry on the floor, they leapt into action.

Matthew recalled, “We could see he was on the floor and on his side. His skin was very blue. We didn’t feel any pulse. He wasn’t breathing whatsoever.”

They started chest compressions to keep Henry’s heart pumping and managed to keep him alive for 10 minutes until the paramedics arrived. The paramedics then used a defibrillator to get Henry’s heart beating again.

Henry was later told by the paramedics that he “died twice” and was saved by the three doctors who rushed to his aid.

He had to undergo an operation to have a stent placed in his left coronary artery.

After about a month, Henry was able to return to the stage. He invited all three of his saviors to the show and thanked them in person.

He shared, “I got the chance to express the inexpressible, the gratitude for saving my life. I dedicated that evening to the three of them and the gift of life and the gift of being able to celebrate music that evening.”

The doctors were only thankful that they were there when Henry needed help.

They hope that more people will be encouraged to learn how to respond to a situation like that, adding that anyone can save a person’s life if they learned CPR.

Source: Inspire More