Ken Jeffries, like many heart disease victims, first realized he was at risk when he experienced a heart attack while waiting for a flight at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. At 57 years old, he collapsed on the airport floor, fortunate that his flight was headed to Knoxville, where Claire Cerbie, a registered nurse from a nearby heart and vascular center, was also traveling.
Cerbie noticed Jeffries’ unusual breathing and snoring sounds, which prompted her to investigate. Recognizing the signs of a heart attack, she quickly initiated CPR with the help of bystanders while someone fetched a defibrillator. “We put the pads on him,” Cerbie recounted to WBTV News. “It indicated a shockable rhythm, and it shocked him in between while we were doing compressions.”
After regaining his pulse, Jeffries was rushed to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, where Dr. William Downey performed life-saving surgery. Both Cerbie and Dr. Downey acknowledged that without the immediate CPR and defibrillation, Jeffries likely would not have survived.
In an emotional television interview alongside Cerbie, Jeffries expressed his gratitude: “A ‘thank you’ is not enough, Claire. Thank you for what you did; I am so appreciative and indebted to you.” Cerbie responded with humility, stating she would help again in a heartbeat.
As recognition for her heroic actions, Cerbie was upgraded to first class on her American Airlines flight. Jeffries noted he had experienced no prior symptoms before his heart attack—a common occurrence since symptoms can often be vague, such as shortness of breath or neck discomfort.
Reflecting on his experience, Jeffries emphasized the importance of recognizing early signs of cardiac distress and expressed a desire to advocate for greater public awareness about CPR and AED usage to improve survival rates in similar emergencies.