Cardiac arrest survivor still searching for man who helped save her

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Kimber Perfect says she has no problem strolling along Gay Street in downtown Columbus, despite a haunting memory from seven years ago.

In 2017, Perfect was working for Mayor Andrew Ginther’s staff.  She was 64, a grandmother of five, and an avid cyclist.

“The night before my heart incident, I had actually upped my game and signed up for a 100-mile Pelotonia instead of the 50,” Perfect said.

Thursday, June 8, 2017, was the day Perfect’s life nearly ended. She was walking from a Greater Columbus Arts Council meeting toward City Hall. She was on Gay Street approaching Pearl Alley at 9:53 a.m.

“I just dropped,” Perfect said.

At that same time, Stefano Todaro was walking just a few feet behind Perfect on his way to his internship downtown. At the time, he was finishing his degree at Ohio State.

“I knew something was wrong. I immediately call 911 and look around for anyone else that’s around me,” Todaro said.

Todaro was transferred to Columbus Fire Lieutenant Matt Snyder who began to coach several people who had gathered to help.

“I asked if anyone knew how to do CPR,” Snyder said.

Todaro put his phone on speaker as another man willing to try CPR on Perfect stepped forward.

“I know that I mentioned to the individual, ‘Hey make sure you check for this, is she breathing, does she have a pulse?'” Snyder said.

The other man who had volunteered to do CPR continued until paramedics arrived. Perfect had suffered cardiac arrest, and after she arrived at Grant Medical Center she suffered a second cardiac arrest.

“And I can tell you, the people I’ve talked to there, no one expected me to survive that one,” Perfect said.

Three days later, Perfect woke up with no memory of what happened. She was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and underwent surgery to install a pacemaker and a defibrillator.

Seven years later, Perfect remains an upbeat and active woman. She contacted everyone directly involved with saving her life, except for the man who did the chest compressions.

“He’s my last person to thank … once EMS arrived, he just got up and he disappeared into the crowd,” Perfect said.

Perfect will lead a team of walkers at Saturday’s American Heart Association Heart Walk at McFerson Commons in downtown Columbus. The walk begins at 9:30 a.m.  Anyone interested in walking can register at this link .

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