Virginia Man Survives Near-Fatal Heart Attack Crashing by Cardiologist's Office

Jeff Geraci, a 64-year-old Virginia man, suffered a life-threatening heart attack while driving home from a workout, causing him to lose control of his car and crash near the office of Dr. Deepak Talreja, chief of cardiology at Sentara Health. Geraci's heart attack had blocked 95% of his lower anterior descending artery and 90% of the upper part, a condition known as sudden cardiac death where the heart stops effectively pumping blood. Dr. Talreja quickly responded to the crash, performing CPR for about eight minutes, which was crucial to Geraci's survival, as delays beyond that could have led to irreversible brain damage or death. Despite a strong family history of heart disease, Geraci had believed his active lifestyle would protect him, but the incident has led him to focus on improving his diet and health. Geraci described waking up confused and foggy in the hospital, initially unaware of the seriousness of his condition. His survival is considered miraculous, highlighting the importance of immediate medical response to sudden cardiac events.