Jerry Capo doesn’t remember the last day of his family’s dream trip to Disney World the week before Christmas nor the next 72 hours. But he does know he was in the right place at the right time.
Capo, a 47-year-old metallurgical engineer and Greensburg resident, began experiencing symptoms of a major cardiac event on the last Disney day; the next day at home, he’s receiving CPR from his wife, Heather, and an ambulance crew.
His journey continued at Independence Health System/Westmorland Hospital‘s Heart Center, followed by multiple therapy sessions at Latrobe Hospital, EPIC rehab and Frick Hospital.
A mere eight weeks later, he headed back to work.
“I am indeed humbled by all that has happened,” Capo said at an emotion-filled follow-up visit with Dr. Nevin Baker, an interventional cardiologist on duty when Capo arrived in crisis with a single-digit survival rate. “The care I received was top-notch, with the right people in the right place at the right time.
“I thank God for everyone’s knowledge, starting with my wife,” a nurse at St. Vincent College. Without the grace of that rapid response and multidisciplinary teamwork, he said, “things would be much different today, I’m sure of it.”