Jasper County Deputy after heart attack on duty: I'm overwhelmed to be alive

(From the Jasper County Sheriff's Office)

Written and shared, with permission; from Deputy Chris Corbett.... in his own words.

Warning, this is a long post, but I wanted to update everyone and share what I know/remember.
First and foremost, God had a different plan for me, and I am at home recovering. 

As many of you know, I suffered a major heart attack on 11/26/2021. Today I am thankful for some very humble and amazing people which I will not name directly. They saved my life. It would be a different story if the good Lord didn't put these capable people within my reach.

I am sure that I am missing some people, but this is the start of my gratitude list:

-Jasper County Sheriff's Office Command Staff, My patrol Sargent, and a teammate
-Carthage Police Department
-Carthage Fire Department
-Mercy Emergency Medical Services
-Jasper County Emergency Services (JASCO Dispatch)
-Various Medical Teams at Freeman

From the bottom of my heart (literally), I can't hold back how thankful I am for everyone involved.

 
11/26/2021 - While on duty, we were looking for an individual needing help that had run through a wood line. I went back towards my patrol car to try and intercept the individual. A teammate (command staff who decided on a whim to help us out for the day) was by my patrol car when I got dizzy. 

I told him that I didn't feel well and that I was having a medical issue. Usually, I would have been alone.

 
The lights went out. Some of the following events were told to me:

 
I was unconscious and thought to have been having a seizure. Command staff on the scene rolled me into a recovery position then realized I was in full cardiac arrest. He began CPR and called for help on my portable radio. A couple of other teammates came out of the woods/field and assisted with CPR. (I think I remember my Sergeant cussing me.)

The fire department arrived on the scene and used an AED on me. I believe they lit me up twice.
I remember becoming conscious in the back of a Mercy ambulance. 

The medics asked many questions (which I think I was answering,) but I was more concerned that my amazing wife Caroline knew what was going on. Someone told me that they brought me back to life two times. I recall thinking to myself, "I am not scared of dying anymore, it's not that bad, but my wife needs me... people need me."

 
The ambulance crew ran code to get me to the hospital. Along the way, I told them I didn't feel good and then, the lights went out again. I woke up to medics performing CPR. I remember hearing over the radio that we were twelve minutes out from the hospital. They brought me back to life for the third time.

 
Next, I remember a team rushing me into the hospital; they diverted from the trauma room and took me directly to cath. I told them I was tired and wanted to sleep. I woke up what felt like a minute later, and they were rolling me into CVICU.

 
Medical staff told me the following:

-I had a 100% blockage in my LAD (AKA The Widowmaker)
-It was by the grace of God that I am alive.
-If I had been alone more than a minute or two, I would have passed.
-The survival rate of this type of heart attack is only 6 percent.
-If my saviors didn't perform CPR and AED as quickly and effectively as it was, I would have extreme heart damage and brain damage (or most likely, death.)

God put the right people in the right place to save my life at the right time. There is no explanation other than, it wasn't my time and that I still have work to do.

 
I also want to thank everyone for reaching out and assisting with my recovery (and helping Caroline too.) Especially close friends, command staff, colleagues, family, the FOP, First Christian Church (Carthage,) and the whole first responder community. I am overwhelmed to be alive and to be reaffirmed in my purpose here on this earth.

 
Go outside, take a deep breath, look around, and be thankful that you are alive.