CBS 2: Local Dancer Grateful to Bystanders Who Saved Him After Cardiac Arrest

CBS 2 recently interviewed Laura DiChiacchio, MD, PhD, a cardiothoracic surgeon in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, about the crucial role of bystander CPR in saving the life of a young hip-hop dancer who had a sudden cardiac arrest.

DiChiacchio told CBS LA Mornings anchor Sheba Turk that the dancer, 32-year-old G’bari Gilliam, experienced cardiac arrest during a dance rehearsal, likely because of an undiagnosed genetic condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease that causes the heart muscle to thicken and can impair the ability to pump blood.

“In his case, he went into this bad rhythm called ventricular tachycardia that we see with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and that’s what led to his cardiac arrest,” DiChiacchio said.

DiChiacchio told Turk that bystander CPR was the only thing keeping blood flowing to Gilliam’s brain and vital organs until an automated external defibrillator delivered a shock that restored a rhythm capable of circulating blood.

“The most important thing we want to highlight today is the absolute crucial nature of bystander CPR,” DiChiacchio said.

She told Turk that after Gilliam arrived at the Cedars-Sinai Emergency Department, he experienced a second cardiac arrest and was placed on a temporary form of life support known as ECMO. His heart could not safely be weaned off the device, and he needed a heart transplant.

She noted that about 1 in 500 people have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy without knowing it.

DiChiacchio encouraged everyone to get basic CPR training so they can respond confidently in an emergency.

“If the situation ever presents itself, they can deliver this lifesaving treatment,” she told Turk.

Gilliam, now four months into his recovery, is returning to an active life. He expressed deep gratitude to the dancers, the trained bystander and the Cedars-Sinai medical team who saved his life.

Watch the complete segment from CBS 2.