Police officer running a three day relay, five months after rebounding from sudden cardiac arrest
Constable Andrew Rosbrook (second from right) suffered sudden cardiac arrest while running the Toronto Half Marathon in May 2013. He was saved by fellow runner/Toronto Police Detective Constable Laurie McCann, a doctor and two paramedics using a MIKEY defibrillator. Prior to the 2013 National Police Officers ‘Run To Remember’, on Sept. 26/13, from Toronto to Ottawa, Andrew and Laurie connected with Mikey Network Chairman and President of Heathwood Homes Hugh Heron (at right) and Executive Director Morty Henkle. (Photo: Nicola Betts)
Nearly five months after suffering sudden cardiac arrest during Toronto’s Half Marathon, Toronto Police Constable Andrew Rosbrook is on a team of over 250 law enforcement professionals participating in the National Peace Officers’ Memorial ‘Run To Remember’ which started today.
His commitment to run his 4th relay, is in part because of a MIKEY defibrillator.
The 460 km ‘Run to Remember’ started at 9am from the Ontario Police Memorial site at Queens Park in Toronto. The three-day relay ends in Ottawa where the annual Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Service happens on Parliament Hill.
In May, 2013, as Rosbrook was about to finish his race, he collapsed with no sign of breathing or heartbeat. In seconds, Det. Const. Laurie McCann with an off-duty doctor and a paramedic trainee performed CPR until paramedics arrived with a portable MIKEY.
After being shocked once, Rosbrook’s heart began beating. He was then taken by ambulance to Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital where a stent was placed in his left descending artery which had become completely blocked. Three days later he was released, and a month later he was running again.
Said Mikey Network Chairman Hugh Heron, “Const. Rosbrook is our 16th save. His miraculous recovery has allowed him to participate in a sport that he loves, and is true testimony to his second chance at life.”
RUNNING IN SEPTEMBER AFTER CARDIAC ARREST IN MAY
Toronto Police Const. Andrew Rosbrook (l) and Mikey Network Chairman and President of Heathwood Homes Hugh Heron believe defibrillators should be as accessible as fire extinguishers. While running the Toronto Half Marathon in May 2013, Const. Rosbrook was saved following sudden cardiac arrest by a team using a MIKEY defibrillator. (Photo: Nicola Betts)
In a recent Facebook post Rosbrook said, “I am doing this run not only to give thanks to fallen officers and support their families, but to illustrate and highlight the awesome benefit of AED’s, the crucial role MIKEY played in my survival and recovery and my hope that one day they’ll be as commonplace in our society as fire extinguishers.”
Rosbrook will be participating in the relay with Const. McCann, now a good friend, who helped save his life five months ago.
