Oklahoma Man Brought Back To Life With New Procedure

An Oklahoma man has been reunited with the emergency crews who brought him back to life.

The paramedics said the patient wouldn't have survived without a new procedure.

When emergency crews pulled up to Brian Rhodes’ home, they were told he was barely breathing and barely had a heartbeat. Essentially he was dead.

Those same Edmond Firefighters and EMSA paramedics walked back through Rhodes’ front door Thursday. 

Just four months ago, Rhodes was lying on the foyer floor after a freak accident. 

“I'm in here just opening an Amazon box and it was a big box and next thing I know I fall and hit my head and I’m dead,” Rhodes said. 

Rhodes’ son called 911 and performed CPR until Edmond Firefighters arrived and used their defibrillator to try and bring Brian back to life.   

“The first 6 minutes he got a total of 3 shocks and none of those shocks worked,” said firefighter and paramedic Tyler Smith. 

By that time, EMSA paramedics were also on the scene so they were able to use both defibrillators basically back to back. 

“The hail Mary or the 4th shock is double sequential,” said Smith. 

And that brought Rhodes back from the dead.

“I believe if we did not perform this he would not be here talking to us,” said paramedic Jeremy Baker.  

Emergency crews have been using the procedure for less than a year.

Baker said it's the second time he's tried it and the first time it's worked. 

“We gave this man more time with his family and that's what means the most to me,” said Baker.  

Rhodes, who was a paramedic for 24 years, now knows that feeling from both sides.

Now he is getting ready to return to work at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital.