Winnipeg First Aid: Manitoba Man Saved by Unknown Hero After Cardiac Arrest at Toronto Airport

“I stood up and had a moment of feeling a little bit light-headed and dizzy,” Tergesen recalled. Moments later, he collapsed.

The next thing he remembers is waking up on a stretcher, being loaded into an ambulance, where he was told his heart had stopped.

Lucky to Be Alive

Tergesen was rushed to hospital, where doctors performed an angioplasty on two arteries and inserted a stent. Remarkably, his heart suffered almost no permanent damage.

Doctors credited his survival to how quickly life-saving care was provided.

“The first thing out of their mouths was, ‘You should buy a lottery ticket,’” Tergesen said.

When he later tried to thank the paramedics, he learned something unexpected—his heart had already been restarted before they arrived.

An Unknown Hero Steps In

After speaking with Air Canada, Tergesen was able to piece together what happened during the moments he cannot remember.

When he collapsed near the boarding gate, a nurse who was waiting in line immediately began CPR. Acting without hesitation, she also used a nearby automated external defibrillator (AED) to restore his heartbeat.

“She’s a nameless, faceless person,” Tergesen said. “I’ve never met her and may never meet her—but she’s my hero.”

As a gesture of appreciation, Air Canada later upgraded the nurse to first class.

This story was originally reported by CTV News. You can read the full article here:
👉 Manitoba man saved by unknown ‘hero’ after heart stops in Toronto airport

A Powerful Reminder About Heart Health

The cardiac arrest came as a surprise. Tergesen does not smoke or drink, exercises regularly, and tries to eat well.

However, his older brother died of a heart attack at age 58—the same age Tergesen is now—highlighting the role genetics can play in heart disease.

Calling January 4 his “second birthday,” Tergesen says he plans to make the most of what he now calls “Life 2.0.”

“Be grateful, collect experiences and not things,” he said.

Why CPR and AED Training Matters

This real-life emergency shows why CPR and AED training is so important:

• Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, including airports and public spaces

• Immediate CPR helps keep oxygen flowing to the brain

• Early use of an AED greatly improves survival chances

• Trained bystanders often save lives before emergency responders arrive

If you want to learn these life-saving skills, Winnipeg First Aid offers hands-on CPR and AED training courses for the public and workplaces.

Learn More About CPR and First Aid

To better understand how CPR and AEDs save lives, explore the following trusted resources:

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (disambiguation).

• Guidelines for CPR and Automated External Defibrillators

Be Ready to Help When It Matters Most

You don’t need to be a healthcare professional to save a life. With proper first aid, CPR, and AED training, you can be prepared to act confidently during emergencies—at airports, workplaces, and in everyday life.

Stories like Stefan Tergesen’s are powerful reminders that first aid training saves lives.