Photo: Darren Handschuh

From left to right: Robyn Sherwood, Tracey Schumacher, Patty Kenny and Ross Kenny received their Vital Link Award Friday.

Hailed as heroes for their quick thinking and life-saving action, four Vernon residents were honoured with a Vital Link Award.

Patty Kenny, Ross Kenny, Tracey Schumacher and Robyn Sherwood were presented with a medal and certificate for saving the life of a local man who went into cardiac arrest while using the treadmill at the fitness centre on Predator Ridge Drive.

The drama unfolded on April 16, 2023, and on Friday they were recognized as life savers by the BC Emergency Health Services.

Primary Care paramedics Braden Harris and Jack Cubbon attended the scene.

“The Vital Link Award is presented by BC Emergency Health Services to honour the skillful actions of bystanders during a cardiac arrest emergency,” Harris said.

Harris said the four awardees saved the unidentified man's life by performing CPR, calling 911 and caring for the patient until emergency crews arrived.

Patty and Tracey, both dentists, saw the patient collapse and rushed to his aid. The two friends, who have known each other for 30 years, began CPR while Ross went to retrieve an automated external defibrillator (AED) nearby.

After CPR and the use of an AED, the patient started breathing again before first responders arrived. Paramedics provided further emergency medical care and transported the patient to hospital. Thanks to the bystanders’ life-saving actions, the patient made a full recovery.

Robyn said at first she thought the man had simply fallen off the treadmill “but we realized there was something much bigger going on and we didn't know what it was so there was concern and also some confusion.”

At first, Tracy also thought the man has slipped but “quickly we saw he was having a seizure and then he stopped breathing. Our training and working together for so many years it became interestingly automatic” as to what they should do to help the man.

Patty said she and Tracy have taken CPR courses annually for the past few years.

“Once it was all happening, [CPR] became automatic,” Patty said.

Ross was on the treadmill next to the patient and jumped into action to help the life-saving measures being performed.

Patty encourages everyone to learn CPR, with the incident as proof to its life-saving value.

“Emotionally it was also easier to have a bit of a plan and know what to do,” she said.

Tracy said when she goes into a public space now she looks for the location of the AED.

The foursome has met with the patient and Patty said “it was a really special thing not only because he is alive but he also happens to be an extraordinarily kind and nice person.”

There are several groups that offer CPR training in Vernon.