Vancouver heart attack survivor wants to thank the good Samaritans who saved him

On June 29th, Gordon McCaw, 60, had a heart attack.

The Vancouver man was riding in the passenger seat — his partner of 60 years, Elaine Bougie Gilligan was driving — when he went into cardiac arrest around 7:20 p.m.

Gilligan called 911. She was instructed to remove McCaw from the vehicle and lay him on his back, but she couldn't lift him.

Fortunately, two men were walking by and responded to Gilligan's desperate cries for help. They helped McCaw out of the car, then performed CPR on him until emergency services arrived.

They saved McCaw's life.

"The doctor did keep stressing…that there's no doubt that the CPR administered on the street before the emergency responders got there are a good part of the reasons for his excellent outcome," Gilligan told The Vancouver Courier.

McCaw and Gilligan are now hoping to track down the good Samaritans so they can thank them for their heroics. McCaw, who was discharged from Vancouver General Hospital last week in good health but suffering some minor amnesia hopes to soon post flyers around the city. His partner posted a public thank you on Craigslist.

Gilligan submitted a thank-you letter to the Courier:

"Gord is very grateful to the strangers who gave him CPR and wishes he knew who they are. He and I give them our thanks, and are also very grateful to all the competent, sensitive and articulate VGH emergency and cardiac staff," she wrote.

McCaw plans on learning CPR soon.

"When I'm back running on all cylinders, I definitely will make a priority to learn CPR…I'd like to be able to pay it forward," he said.