RUSSIA – Twelve people whose quick actions helped save the life of Russia resident Daniel Knight when he went into cardiac arrest in July were recognized Monday evening.
Wayne Goubeaux, Elaine Goubeaux and Kay Borchers – Knight’s neighbors – received Lifesaving Awards from Wilson Health. Russia Fire Department members Chief Tom Phlipot, Gery Heuing, Jared Goubeaux, Bob Simon, Brandon Phlipot and Joe Shefbuch along with Versailles EMS members Chief Matt Harvey, paramedic Leslie Selanders and paramedic Alena Wickham also received Lifesaving Awards from Wilson Health for their actions.
“Everything you did was instrumental to my survival,” Knight said during a ceremony at the Russia Fire Department. “I have no award to give you but my heart, and I’m here because of you. Without all of you doing your duty on that day, I’m not here. It’s my understanding in most cases, in a particular incident like that, most people are not around to stand up here and show gratitude as I am today. So I just want to take this moment and thank you all very much, and I am forever grateful. And thank you for your dedication to duties because without that I wouldn’t be here.”
At approximately 11:15 a.m. July 23, Knight was working in his backyard when he suffered cardiac arrest. A neighbor, Wayne Goubeaux, also was working outside when he heard a noise and saw Knight laying in the yard.
Wayne Goubeaux ran to Knight and found him unresponsive. He then ran to the front of his house and told his wife, Elaine Goubeaux, to call 911.
“I very emphatically told him the first thing he had to do was go across the street and get Kay Borchers because she was an ER nurse,” Elaine Goubeaux said. “If anybody could do something, that’s her.”
Wayne Goubeaux ran across the street to get Borchers, who is retired after working more than 42 years as a nurse.
“She showed up at the door and never questioned nothing,” Wayne Goubeaux said. “She run out the door and we was probably back across the street in less than a minute.”
The neighbors quickly reached Knight’s side and started CPR.
“I’ve taken many, many CPR classes, but this is the first time I ever did CPR outside of the hospital setting,” Borchers said. “And Wayne jumped in to help right away.”
The neighbors were relieved when volunteers from the Russia Fire Department arrived.
“What is awesome is that the first responders got there so fast with their AED, and that’s really what he needed,” Borchers said.
The Russia Fire Department took over resuscitation efforts and utilized their automated external defibrillator, delivering two countershocks to Knight before Versailles EMS arrived.
Versailles EMS placed Knight on a cardiac monitor and determined he still was in a lethal heart rhythm. A third countershock was delivered, after which Knight returned to spontaneous circulation. Knight was transported to Wilson Health where he was stabilized before being transferred to Miami Valley Hospital.
“They call them first responders, and they do respond,” Wayne Goubeaux said of the Russia Fire Department and Versailles EMS. “They just went together, and they just worked a nice team, nice team. You had to see them to believe what they performed.
“All the care he got after he left Russia to Wilson, CareFlight, Miami Valley, there was a lot of people involved right down the line and everything went in his favor.”
Wilson Health EMS Coordinator Richard Morrett said only about 10 percent of people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest survive. The response, which he referred to as the chain of survival, allowed Knight to defy the odds and survive.
Wilson Health CEO Mark Klosterman presented awards Monday evening to the neighbors and first responders whose actions saved Knight’s life.
“The quick response of Russia Fire and Versailles EMS, recognition of the severity of the medical emergency, immediate action and exceptional delivery of emergency care directly resulted in saving the life of this particular individual,” Klosterman said.
Additionally, Wayne Goubeaux said he’s also thankful for the local businesses that allow volunteer first responders to leave work to respond to calls without docking their pay.
Elaine Goubeaux thinks there also was some divine intervention that helped save Knight’s life.
“I think God put people where they needed to be at the time they needed to be there,” she said. “This couldn’t have been planned. Only God could plan this kind of stuff to save him.”
