Jane Hedgpeth Saves a Life at a Local Restaurant by Performing CPR

April 7, 2023 | Mesa, AZ.  When Jane Hedgpeth and her husband, John, left their home to meet friends at one of their favorite restaurants in Mesa a few weeks ago, she never realized she would be thrust into an emergency life or death situation. 

Hedgpeth, operations manager at Solace Pediatric Healthcare, noticed a group of people standing around an older gentleman who was seated in the aisle at a nearby booth. 

“When we arrived at the restaurant, I sat down and asked my friends what was going on, and they said they believed he was having a heart attack,” said Jane.

CPR-certified with 25+ years of training, Jane carefully monitored the situation and overheard the conversation taking place with the gentleman’s wife and a 911 dispatcher. The dispatcher provided specific guidance and instruction on next steps. 

The gentleman was carefully placed on the floor by the owner of the restaurant with assistance from several other patrons. Upon hearing an older woman say, “I took a CPR class last week,” Jane hurried to assist the woman who was administering CPR.

The gentleman was gray, soaked in perspiration and unresponsive. Jane told the woman that she was CPR trained and could help, as the older woman was fatigued and stopped compressions after a very short time. 

“The gentleman was very big. I’m only ‘five feet tall’ so I had to stand to administer effective compressions,” added Jane. 

Jane positioned herself and started compressions for a little over one minute, checked his pulse and respiration and resumed compressions. Within a minute, Jane heard him gasp and take a breath. 

“I grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him towards me. I needed assistance from others to roll him on his side. He started to vomit, and the owner of the restaurant started to hit him on the back.”

The gentleman opened his eyes and looked at her…she smiled and said ‘Hi, I’m Jane.’ 

Jane continued to reassure him and provide support until the paramedics arrived at the scene, and transported him to the hospital. Afterwards, Jane returned to her husband and friends at a nearby table while her emotions poured out.

“The owner came by our table and said he needed to give me a big hug. Apparently, the man had not been breathing for over a minute before I arrived,” said Jane. 

“I’ve known the importance of CPR and the Heimlich maneuver since I was a teenager. I watched my mom save my dad in a choking episode. My three children are trained, as well as their spouses. You never know when you will need to use it, but it’s better to know it then not,” adds Jane.

The American Heart Association is a leader in first aid, CPR, and AED training – educating more than 22 million people globally in CPR each year.

Cardiac arrests most often occur in homes/residences (73.4%), followed by public settings (16.3%), and nursing homes (10.3%). If performed immediately, CPR can double or triple the chance of survival from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

“For years Jane organized our CPR classes at the clinic. She attended class with the clinicians every two years to maintain her CPR certification, and it paid off,” said Gigette Dillow, regional clinical manager (Arizona) at Solace Pediatric Healthcare.

“I was never sure I would be able to administer CPR if a situation arose, but in this situation, I was able to stay calm, assess the situation and help someone in need.” 

Reference: American Heart Association