Passenger’s deadly symptoms spotted by quick-thinking nurse who saves life at North Carolina airport

A nurse has been hailed a hero for saving a man's life after spotting certain tell-tale symptoms at an airport.

In the small hours of Friday, June 7, Claire Cerbie, a former Atrium Health's Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute nurse, was at her gate at Charlotte Douglas International Airport , waiting for a flight to Knoxville, Tennessee, when she spotted Ken Jeffries, a 57 year old man from Jacksonville, Florida, showing signs of a heart attack.

Speaking to WBTV , the pair described the harrowing experience: "Just the way that you were snoring and breathing sounded like you were having a heart attack based on what I've seen before," Claire recounted to Ken during the call.

Read more: Joe Biden's 'early signs of Parkinson's' as White House records show doctor's 8 visits in 8 months

Claire didn't hesitate to leap into action, rallying bystanders to assist as she directed CPR efforts and deployed a defibrillator. "We put the pads on him," she detailed. "It indicated a shockable rhythm, and it shocked him in between while we were doing compressions."

Thanks to Claire and the quick-thinking group, Ken was resuscitated after about 10 minutes, regaining his pulse and breathing independently until paramedics took over, according to the nurse's account.

Ken was swiftly taken to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, where Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute's very own Dr. William Downey conducted life-saving surgery.

Dr. Downery himself said that Ken would've died if not for Claire and the quick-thinking bystanders lending a hand. Reflecting on his ordeal, Ken acknowledged the luck of his situation: "It's a miracle that I was at that place at that time when it happened and the people around me are there," he noted with gratitude.

Claire highlighted just how critical those chest compressions and the timely use of a defibrillator were in clinging to life. Airport chiefs have said that around 35 defibrillators dot the airport, with plans to fit more come next year.

A recovering Ken expressed deep thanks to Claire and others involved in his rescue, admitting that a simple 'thank you' hardly seems enough.

"A 'thank you' is not enough, Claire. Thank you for what you did," he told the nurse. "I am so appreciative and indebted to you." Nurse Claire expressed her relief at being present to aid in such a critical moment.

She said: "I'm very glad that I was there that day to help you out. I'd obviously do it again in a heartbeat. I'm so happy to see that you're doing so well."

Before his sudden cardiac arrest, Ken experienced no tell-tale warnings of an impending heart attack, which Dr. Downey highlighted to remind everyone that heart attacks can be staved off through stopping smoking, getting regular exercise, sticking to a Mediterranean diet, keeping blood pressure in check, and optimising cholesterol levels.

Meanwhile, American Airlines swiftly upgraded Claire to First Class for his flight to Knoxville.