LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. — Matt Troy learned CPR as a firefighter for the United States Marine Corps 22 years ago.
He never used CPR until last week. Now a mortgage adviser for Finance of America Mortgage in Lake Oswego, Troy was in his office when a construction worker ran in to say a man had collapsed in the office space down the hall.
Justin Brill and others were remodeling the space. Brill was on the floor, unconscious but breathing. And then Troy noticed the breathing stopped and Brill’s face turned blue.
He started CPR chest compressions, hearing the beat to the song “Staying Alive” in his head, and timing his compressions to the song.
It was exhausting, and Troy said he began to lose hope.
“I was pumping on his chest for two minutes. And I was thinking to myself this is a waste of time. This stuff doesn’t really work,” he said.
He was on the phone with 911 and the operator urged him to keep going but not to waste time trying to give rescue breaths. Troy decided to try it anyway.
He gave two with no results.
“The last one, I just looked at him. He's a big 240-pound bearded tough looking guy. And I just said 'dude, I know you're tough enough. Fight this!' I gave him one last big breath and he, it was like, next to my children being born it was the greatest breaths I’ve ever seen. And he just came conscious man!"
Paramedics were there moments later, which was handy because Brill stopped breathing again, Troy said.
They used a defibrillator, which sends an electric shock to the heart, and brought Brill back again. Then they rushed him to the hospital.
Troy said he was reluctant to share his story but agreed to in the hope that it inspires the rest of us to get certified in CPR, because it really does work.
Even now, he is amazed at how suddenly it all happened, and how his CPR training from 22 years ago stuck with him.
“I breathed life in to this guy. It felt amazing,” Troy said.
Brill went home from the hospital Monday.