DETROIT (WXYZ) — Thursday afternoon, two former strangers, Tony Washington and Darick Ballard, both received recognition and Save MI Heart challenge coins from EMS crews and doctors at DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit.
It all started a few weeks ago when Ballard was walking out of Detroit's Sauce Bar and went into cardiac arrest.
"I just collapsed and my heart was racing, pumping fast," said Ballard.
Washington is a security guard at the bar and was driving into work when he saw Ballard.
"He ain't’ kickin', he ain’t havin' no seizure, he ain’t breathing. I’m like ‘let’s see if we can get a pulse,'" thought Washington.
He started performing CPR on Ballard and kept it up until EMS crews arrived and were able to shock Ballard out of ventricular fibrillation.
Ballard was then taken to DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital.
"I can never thank him enough," said Ballard about Washington. "Every time I see him, I have to hug him and thank him."
Luda Khait-Vlisides is a doctor at Sinai Grace. She starting CPR immediately is key to keeping someone alive.
"Because there is lack of blood flow to the brain, patients. Even though we can restart their heart again, patients a lot of times become brain dead," she said.
Washington said that he knew CPR from high school training.
In 2016, Michigan passed a law that requires schools to incorporate hands-on CPR training into health curriculums.
About 1,000 people suffer cardiac arrest outside of hospital settings every day in the U.S.
The survival rate is low, but possible, this time thanks to training and swift action from a stranger.
"I thank God every day I wake up. Thank you, Jesus," said Ballard.
