Lincoln Man Rebuilds His Life with Help from Bryan

David Emery doesn’t remember much about his potentially life-changing experience. He was a bit late to a University of Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s basketball game against Michigan State University on a chilly January day. He and a friend hurried to their seats to meet their wives. He had barely caught his breath – just sitting down and turning his attention to the court – when he fell unconscious and collapsed. The next thing he knew, he was on a gurney in the back hallways of Pinnacle Bank Arena.

His wife, Janet, remembers the events vividly. Once her husband keeled over, she was shocked by the rapid response from on-site EMTs, campus police and bystanders. David had suffered a cardiac arrest, as his heart suddenly stopped. He was quickly treated with an automated external defibrillator (AED) and was revived.

Waking up on the gurney, David didn’t know where he was or why he was there. Janet kept repeating one thing over and over again to the paramedics: “Please take us to Bryan.”

The Immediate Aftermath

Janet said everything – from David collapsing to riding in an ambulance to the hospital – happened so fast. On-site EMTs, including Bryan Medical Center employee Shauntae Beaver, rushed to the seats as soon as they heard a commotion. Before they arrived, others had gathered to help: an advanced practice provider from Crete Area Medical Center, Tammy Schroeder; a retired anesthesiologist; and the Nebraska volleyball team’s doctor, among them.

“That’s why he’s still here,” Janet said. “Truly the only reason is the speed in which people responded.”

Once the couple arrived at Bryan, David was brought to the emergency department to be stabilized and kept overnight. The next day, he was transferred to the cardiac catheterization lab to have a stent put into his heart. He had a 99% blockage in one of his arteries.

Only two days after his cardiac arrest, David was heading home from the hospital. The Emerys credit the great care he received at every point in his treatment at Bryan Medical Center.

A Hard Road to Recovery

Around a week later, David started a cardiac rehabilitation program at Bryan LifePointe Campus. David worked with Kaylin Labenz, a clinical exercise specialist, and cardiac rehab RNs Holly Leach and Jessica Courter. Labenz guided his exercise regimen while Leach or Courter monitored his vital signs. David completed three months of physical therapy, roughly two to three sessions per week.

During his time in rehab, he formed strong relationships with Labenz, Leach and Courter. Along with the physical care, he said the trio also provided healing in deeper ways. The trauma of a sudden cardiac arrest had left his future unclear, as he worried about something happening to him again. The routine of strengthening his body during rehab, while working with people who made him feel comfortable, also helped heal his mind and soul.

“I can’t say enough good things about my experience with those women,” David said. “They helped me get my strength back, and they mean so much to me.”

Leach, who also served as David’s “mentor” throughout the program, said the emotional and psychological components are a crucial part of any physical rehab.

“I feel like we do more than just the physical part of things,” Leach said. “He talked a lot about the people who saved him at the arena, and I could see he was really deep in his thoughts. Once he was able to find and talk to those people, I could see he got the closure to be able to move forward.”

David’s vital signs and physical endurance steadily improved, meeting the goals that he set with his therapy team at the start of the program. As he continued his treatment, Grant Wallace, MD, implanted a pacemaker to regulate his heart rate. Through what Leach calls a strong attitude and level of commitment from David, he was able to graduate from rehab in late April.

“You’ve got to live your life and get back to doing what you enjoy,” Leach said. “So, if we can help do that here, then we've done our jobs.”

It Takes a Village

Lincoln often has the feeling of a small town, even with its population approaching 300,000 people. The Emerys have said they’ve encountered countless people who were at the game and witnessed David’s episode – some friends, some strangers. All have shown genuine concern about his condition and joy for his recovery.

The Emerys have reached out to the many people who were involved in saving David’s life, so they could express their deep gratitude. At the front lines of his care are Zachary Singsank, DO, and Dr. Wallace, who are David’s cardiologists at Bryan Heart. Janet and David praised the care David received from his doctors.

“They’re personable, they make sure your questions are answered, and they’re just fun to talk to,” Janet said.

The day after his cardiac arrest, Beaver, a cardiovascular technologist in the cardiac catheterization labs at Bryan Medical Center, recognized David’s name during her shift and introduced herself to the Emerys. She wanted to check on him because she rarely knows the outcomes of emergency patients she treats as a part-time EMT.

In another stroke of luck, Beaver was stunned to find herself working on David’s pacemaker operation a few weeks later.

“I didn’t even know he was coming back to the lab until I saw his name next up on the patient list,” Beaver said. “He rolled in, and I looked at him and said, ‘You have to be so tired of seeing me.’”

David & Janet Emery

The expertise and hard work of so many people helped David get back to his life. An avid reader, he volunteers a few days per week at the Victor E. Anderson library branch. He is spending as much time as possible with their two daughters and two grandchildren.

Moving Forward

A lot had to go right for David to have a full recovery: The luck of being in a place like Pinnacle Bank Arena, which has protocols in place to rapidly respond to emergency situations. The surrounding attendees, who had the awareness to clear the aisle so first responders could quickly reach David. A healthcare system like Bryan Health nearby to provide a comprehensive slate of services. These are factors the Emerys have not taken for granted throughout their experience.

Since graduating from rehab, David feels back to his full strength, physically and mentally. The Emerys feel it’s all thanks to Bryan, the place where Janet wanted her husband to be cared for in his greatest time of need.

“David and I had talked about if anything ever happened to either of us, we would want to go to Bryan,” Janet said. “You hear all these good things about what happens at Bryan, from the staff to the outcomes. It’s just where I wanted him to be.”

Take Your Next Step

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To learn how you can support the work of Bryan Health, please contact the Bryan Foundation staff by calling 402-481-8605.