Heart attack survivor celebrates 2 life-giving moments

CBC News Posted: Nov 17, 2015 8:00 PM NT Last Updated: Nov 17, 2015 9:07 PM NT

"Every day is a gift I appreciate every day," says Don Carter, who suffered a heart attack in November 2009.

A man from Pasadena in Newfoundland and Labrador has so much to celebrate; he has two birthday parties each year. 'When they got to me I was blue, so I didn't have much more time I was pretty well gone.' - Don Carter
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Six years ago, on Nov. 17, Don Carter suffered a heart attack that put him on death's doorstep. Every year, his family celebrates his second chance at life. Carter credits the quick action of volunteer firefighters as the reason he is alive today. "The volunteer fire department in Pasadena, they were at my door probably within two or three minutes," said Carter, who lost his father from a heart attack."Only for that, I wouldn't be here."

No warning

Carter doesn't have much memory of that evening in 2009, except for what other people have told him. According to his wife, Elaine, he had arrived home from playing floor hockey and, while chatting, he joked about throwing his sweaty shirt on her. Then, without any warning, Carter fell to the floor. Elaine immediately called 911.

"Two people, Ray Warren and Dean Snow lived up my street, they didn't even wait for the fire truck to come by they ran on down to the house and right away started to do CPR," Carter told CBC's Corner Brook Morning Show.

Carter said that within five minutes or so, the fire truck was on the scene with a defibrillator. They were able to bring his heart back to a normal rhythm. 

"One of my friends ... said that when they got to me I was blue. So I didn't have much more time; I was pretty well gone," said Carter.

An ambulance also arrived from Corner Brook around 20 minutes after the 911 call. Don Carter says that since his heart attack he lives every day to the fullest and spends lots of time with his grandchildren.

'Every day is a gift'

Since his brush with death, Carter said he lives every day to the fullest. 

"Every day is a gift I appreciate every day," said Carter.

"Since then, my daughter got married, I have a couple more grandchildren ... I have gone to Florida five times, which we never did before but we now go down for the winter months. It's all good."

Carter had four blockages and underwent bypass surgery. He said the recovery was pretty quick and even though his wife worries, he still enjoys playing floor hockey.