Stranger Saves Columbia Man's Life By Performing CPR

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A Columbia resident who pulled into his office parking garage at 6:30 a.m. recently parked, climbed out of the vehicle, then collapsed.

It turns out Tim Steele suffered a major heart attack. He stopped breathing and didn't have a pulse. But a man named Jordan Porcello heard people yelling when Steele collapsed and ran to help. He was a Naval rescue swimmer in a previous career and knew CPR, according to WBAL. He jumped into action, proving the importance of knowing CPR and first aid in an emergency.

"There was no AED in the garage, so his commitment was vital until paramedics got there, who then had to shock me four times to bring me back," Steele told WBAL.

Dr. Scott Jerome, Steele's cardiologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center, told 11 News that the fact that Steele not only survived, but has no adverse effects, is rare. He said receiving CPR so quickly made all the difference.

"He's a really lucky guy to be here," Jerome told 11 News. "We know that if you get to the person within 10 minutes — actually, earlier the better — brain cells start dying. The chance of recovery drops dramatically as time clicks on. So, the quicker we can get there, the quicker you can start CPR, resuscitation measures, (use an) AED, the better, and it's literally seconds."

Read more at WBAL