23 Jul , 12:45
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Miraculous Recovery: British Man Comes Back to Life 45 Minutes After Heart Stops
64-year-old Steve Dalton experienced a true miracle when his heart started beating again after 45 minutes of clinical death. The dramatic story occurred during an ordinary family day when the man was helping his daughter Kate set up a playground. Steve, who had been working since morning, suddenly felt unwell, and in the afternoon he suffered a heart attack. The ambulance crew fought for his life for more than three hours, using a defibrillator six times, but his heart stubbornly refused to restart. "I had to call my sister and say, 'Dad is gone.' We were certain of it. I can't describe that feeling," shared Kate, who, along with her mother and brother, desperately watched the medics' efforts.
Dalton was taken to the hospital in a comatose state. The doctors immediately shocked the family with a grim prognosis: the patient's heart was severely enlarged, his chances of survival did not exceed two percent, and his brain was most likely already irreversibly damaged. The family spent an agonizing night at home where, as Kate admits, they prayed and jumped at every phone call. However, the morning brought incredible news – Dalton began regaining consciousness.
"They reduced his sedative dose, and literally the moment the nurse pressed the button, he suddenly opened his eyes. I asked if he recognized me, and he nodded. It was something unreal," recounted the astonished Kate.
Soon Dalton's condition worsened again, and he was transferred to intensive care, but the very next day another miracle occurred – the man not only regained consciousness but also independently called his family. When the family rushed to the hospital, they saw Steve sitting on the bed and breathing without assistance. Doctors noted with amazement that his brain remained absolutely undamaged. Eventually, the man fully recovered, although he admitted feeling guilty about the terrible anxiety his loved ones had experienced.
Now grateful for his second chance, Dalton and his family are raising funds for an organization that helps people who have survived cardiac arrest.