Former Olympic athlete brings CPR training to NC rink after man suffers heart attack on ice

INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — Jib Street collapsed while playing a pickup hockey game in Pineville last month. His heart stopped, and he was medically dead.

Dr. Craig Bryant was playing on the opposite team, and he swooped in to help. "About 13 minutes into our noon time skate, he went right down in this area," said Bryant.

Bryant is a doctor at Atrium Health, and started to administer CPR. Street is alive today thanks to Byrant.

"100% neurological outcome, which is atypical. You're going into these hoping for the best, expecting the worst," said Bryant.

Since that day, Bryant and Street have become friends. Street gifted Bryant with a signed jersey from Wayne Gretzky as a thank you gift for saving his life. During the Carolina Hurricanes game, Friday, Street said the Edmonton Oilers are expected to give gift him a jersey signed by Wayne Gretzky.

Bryant had played on the same team with Street's son, Tyson, earlier on Friday.

Tyson said, "My dad wishes he could be right now, hopefully he can get out sooner or later."

Bryant had used an AED from the Pineville ice rink to help Street. Mecklenburg County EMS hopes more people will download the 'Pulse Point' app.

When someone calls 911 for a cardiac arrest, the app will alert people nearby who can help. It can also direct someone to nearest AED. A MEDIC spokesperson said someone who had downloaded the app was notified about Street's cardiac arrest.

Down at the ice rink in Indian Trail, Olympic Silver Medalist, Paul Wylie works as a coach. Wylie said he went into cardiac arrest during a run a few years ago. He was also saved by someone other than a trained paramedic. He said someone was able to give him CPR right away. "Otherwise I wouldn’t be here or not mentally with it."

Wylie said seconds count when you have a cardiac arrest. The faster someone can get to you, the better chance you have of survival.

Wylie partnered with MEDIC, Friday, at the Extreme Ice Center, to teach other skaters how to give CPR and use an AED. Wylie said he plans to do more of these workshops in the future.

"We have to do what we can to learn how to save a life," said Wylie.

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