Casselberry nurse Randy Rahming is recovering after surviving a sudden cardiac arrest during a basketball game this summer. Rahming, 32, expressed gratitude for his survival and credited AdventHealth for its role in his recovery.
Rahming, who moved from Jamaica to Central Florida, has long enjoyed playing basketball with friends at Forest Lake Academy in Apopka. During one of these games, he collapsed unexpectedly after making a basket.
“The next thing I know, I was waking up on a hospital stretcher,” Rahming said. “The doctor told me I had a heart attack. It literally brings me to tears when I think about how everything lined up and how fast my friends were to react because when your heart isn’t beating, every second counts.”
Two medical professionals present that night—Dr. Matthew Dalley, an emergency physician at AdventHealth Waterman, and Ronaldo Green, a physician assistant from another Orlando health care organization—responded immediately.
“The first thing we did was run over to Randy and start assessing him,” Dalley said. “I asked some of his closest friends if they knew of any health conditions he might have. We started CPR right away and told the others present to call 911 immediately.”
“At first, I thought maybe he was having a seizure, but then I realized no one really knew his medical history. That’s when Dr. Dalley was already checking his pulse and I started searching the gym for an automated external defibrillator (AED),” Green said.
Rahming had been taking blood pressure medication but had not known about any serious heart condition. Green located the AED in the gym’s entryway.
“After I got back with it, I applied the pads and immediately started compressions. I think I got through one round before the AED delivered a shock,” Green said. “It was like Dr. Dalley and I had done this before. We trusted each other, we knew what needed to be done, and we did it.”
Dalley emphasized the importance of quick action: “The AED played a huge role in saving his life. When someone goes into cardiac arrest outside the hospital, you really don’t have many options. You have chest compressions and you have an AED. Those are the two most important things. They keep the body perfusing and help protect the organs as much as possible. I truly believe the AED was crucial and made a significant difference in saving his life.”
Paramedics transported Rahming to AdventHealth Altamonte Springs where he began recovery under medical supervision.
Green reflected on seeing someone healthy collapse so suddenly: “Randy is the perfect picture of health. To see someone like him collapse it just gives you a deeper appreciation for life.”
Later that night both responders visited Rahming at the hospital.
“It’s a reminder that life is precious and that none of us should ever take it for granted,” Green said.
Dalley added: “The most important thing to me is that he’s doing so well. He’s made a full recovery, has no deficits, and is fully functional. That’s a miracle in my eyes… Ultimately, I give all the glory to God…and I’m so thankful Randy is doing well.”
Rahming now plans to apply to medical school with hopes of becoming a cardiologist.
“I’ve learned that life is short, and you never know when the unexpected can happen,” he said.“I’m here today only because of God, honestly.And I’m just so grateful to have so many people there to help me when I really needed it.”
AdventHealth Orlando—located in Orlando since 1908—is led by President Terry Shaw.The hospital includes pediatric services and functions as a training facility.
https://www.adventhealth.com/hospital/adventhealth-orlando
