Latest news with #CherryBlossomTenMiler
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
24-Year-Old Runner Reunites with First Responders Who Saved Her Life During Race
Angel Barr met with first responders who saved her life The 24-year-old nurse suffered sudden cardiac arrest while running a marathon last month Barr hugged those who saved her life, and spoke out about the experience on Tuesday, May 20With hugs and smiles, Angel Barr and the first responders who saved her life reunited for the first time since she suffered sudden cardiac arrest during a marathon last month. 'Last time I saw Angel, she was battling for her life and was lifeless,' Fire Sgt. John Wilkinson told WTOP, one of the Washington, D.C., news outlets there to cover the emotional meeting. 'Now to see her walking, talking, and no neurological deficits is phenomenal.' By all accounts, Barr, a 24-year-old nurse, was one of the most unexpected patients Wilkinson and other first responders had ever come across. Although she had never run a marathon before, Barr was young, athletic, and 'very into fitness.' Barr recently took up running to improve her mental and physical health, she said. 'I felt physically and mentally fine that day; I was looking forward to running. It was something I liked doing,' Barr told DC News Now. 'They told me I was a miracle, they told me a lot of people don't survive what I went through, and hearing the story, I'm shocked.' Barr told the news outlets she remembered everything about the routine morning before the April 6 'Cherry Blossom Ten Miler' race in East Potomac Park. But she doesn't remember much from the race itself. The nurse suddenly collapsed while running near Hains Point, the first responders told her on Tuesday, May 20, recounting the incident. Luckily, one bystander was a physician from George Washington University who quickly began CPR, according to WTOP. Minutes later, multiple fire boats arrived with a defibrillator, using the device on Barr before paramedics rushed her to the nearby hospital. Barr remained in the hospital for about a week and told WTOP she's recovered enough to be able to go back to work in the next few days. 'Do not take life for granted,' Barr told the outlet. 'Keep working, striving to be the person that you are today and never stop growing. Life comes with a lot of challenges and obstacles, but those obstacles are meant to be overcome and not stop you up.' The emergency responders gave Barr flowers and handed out hugs. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'They told me that I was a miracle,' Barr told DC News Now, and added, 'This was a gift from God.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Runner reunites with first responders who saved her life
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — It was a heartwarming reunion Tuesday at East Potomac Park, as a runner met with the first responders who saved her life. 24-year-old Angel Barr was running the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler last month when she collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. 'I felt physically and mentally fine that day; I was looking forward to running. It was something I liked doing,' she said. 'They told me I was a miracle, they told me a lot of people don't survive what I went through, and hearing the story, I'm shocked.' Neighbors help woman escape home fire in Rockville According to DC Fire and EMS (DCFEMS), the quick responses of those around her helped save her life. Two bystanders began administering CPR. Meanwhile, two DCFEMS fire boats arrived on the scene. First responders used an AED and defibrillated Barr, restarting her heart. Park Police used their helicopter to transport Barr to the hospital. 'This didn't just happen by accident,' said Dr. David Vitberg, Interim Medical Director for DCFEMS. 'That happened because our firefighters, EMTs and paramedics get exquisite training.' Barr had a chance to meet and thank those who saved her during a ceremony on Tuesday. Each first responder received a coin honoring their efforts. 'What we do in EMS, what the Park Police do, what DC Fire and EMS does, it really, really matters. What we do in the first five, ten minutes have a profound impact,' said Vitberg. 'I'm very shocked I'm still here today. And to be able to walk and do everything I was before, so to hear that, it was a gift from God,' said Barr. Barr said she isn't letting this incident slow her down. She plans to continue working as a nurse and pursue her doctorate in nursing. 'Obstacles are there to make you stronger. But this obstacle has not set me back in any way. I will be successful, I will thrive,' she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
