Bay Area heart attack survivor meets good Samaritan, first responders who saved his life
BRANDON, Fla. - It’s a reunion that's been months in the making. Drew Overlee and Jake O’Brien now have quite the bond after O'Brien saved Overlee's life.
He survived a heart attack thanks to the good Samaritan who was at the right place at the right time. On Friday, they met each other for the first time.
"There’s something so bonding, so beautiful in that moment. He’s here forever," Overlee said.
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Days before Christmas and his 64th birthday, Overlee went on a run in Hillsborough County. It’s something he does all the time, but 14 minutes into it, he collapsed right in front of O’Brien.
"I was going Christmas shopping with my family and happened to be sitting in the parking lot," O’Brien added.
He rushed over and with the help of two others, he started CPR as they waited for the ambulance.
"The ambulance was there in lightning speed," O’Brien explained. "He wasn’t in good shape."
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In the meantime, Overlee’s wife was at home wondering about her husband who was rushed to HCA Florida Brandon Hospital without her knowing.
"He never carries anything on him. He doesn’t carry a phone. When it happened, no one knew who he was," his wife Tammy Overlee said.
But, hospital staff put the pieces together to give her the news.
"It was one of the most scary things to me ever," she said.
Tammy learned of the good Samaritan who brought her husband back to life, hoping to meet him one day. Overlee and his family met O’Brien and the first responders who saved his life when they met on Friday.
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"At first, it was shocking as I hugged him. I felt close. As we talked, I felt welcomed," Overlee explained. "I’m absolutely grateful. There’s no words for anyone who saved my life. Brought me back to my granddaughter, my wife, my 18-year-old cat and my running."
O’Brien told everyone that this just shows how important it is to know CPR.
"It’s something that can change someone’s life and give them a second chance," he said.
It was the first time he ever performed CPR. He learned the skill in a class during college a few years ago.
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