RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — As the American Heart Association prepares to bring local leaders together for its "Central Virginia Hard Hats with Heart" event, one Richmond runner is sharing a powerful reminder of why heart health awareness and CPR training matter. Samuel Jones survived sudden cardiac a rrest in April 2024 after a construction supervisor performed CPR while waiting for emergency crews to arrive. Jones had no known heart problems when he collapsed near Fox Elementary School. He had spent the previous day celebrating his 33rd birthday by running 33 miles around the James River Park system. (Samuel Jones, 35, walking by Fox Elementary School) Jones had maintained a streak of running at least one mile every day for eight years. “I was pretty tired,” Jones recalled of the morning after his birthday run. “I woke up, struggled very hard to somewhat hard to get out of bed.” Despite his fatigue, Jones met friends at Sugar Twine in the city's Carytown area for their usual run the following morning. He decided to cut the route short after a mile and began walking back toward the coffee shop with a friend. That is the last thing Jones remembers before waking up in the hospital several days later. After Jones collapsed, his running partner called 911. Nearby, Jacob Dyer, vice president of Gulf Seaboard General Contractors, had just arrived at William Fox Elementary School to supervise repair work following a Feb. 11, 2022, fire. Dyer noticed Jones lying on the ground and stopped to assess the situation. When he realized Jones was unconscious and not breathing, he immediately began performing CPR and coached Jones’ friend through the process. Dyer had renewed his CPR certification just days earlier. His quick response helped keep Jones alive until emergency medical services arrived. (Pictured: Samuel's ripped t-shirt after EMS shocked him back to life) “It's really wild. Just the chain of circumstances that fell into place to kind of end up in a place where I'm still alive,” Jones said. Jones later connected with Dyer to meet him in person and thank him for stepping in when it mattered most. (Pictured: Jacob Dyer, left, and Samuel Jones, right, smiling in front of Fox Elementary School) After his cardiac arrest, Jones was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic heart condition that can go undetected because it often causes no noticeable symptoms. The condition can affect the heart muscle and increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythms and sudden cardiac arrest. In Jones’ case, the cardiac arrest was the first indication that something was wrong. “It's something that can kind of just strike out of the blue,” Jones said. “People often don't know they have it, until something happens.” Jones now has an implanted defibrillator and takes medication to help manage his condition. After completing cardiac rehabilitation, he was cleared to return to running and other activities that feel good to him. Jones says his experience has given him a new appreciation for the people, experiences and milestones he has the opportunity to enjoy. He also hopes his story encourages others to learn CPR, a skill that can make the difference between life and death during a cardiac emergency. “It's easy to do and it's easy to be prepared,” Jones said. “Once you do, you can be prepared to step in and save a life, like mine was.” He also encourages people to talk with their doctors about unusual heart symptoms or a family history of heart conditions. Jones says Dyer's actions gave him the chance to celebrate more birthdays, spend time with loved ones and continue being part of the Richmond running community. The American Heart Association's Central Virginia "Hard Hats with Heart" event will be held at CarMax Park from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The event will bring local leaders together to raise awareness about heart health in the construction industry. ...read more read less