Brisbane runner reunited with strangers who saved her life

Kaley Koppa, a 43-year-old woman from Brisbane, has reunited with the strangers who saved her life after she suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning run along the Brisbane River one year ago.

During the incident, Koppa collapsed on a bench and was clinically dead for several minutes. Bystanders performed CPR while a security worker from the nearby Star Casino used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to deliver a life-saving shock. Paramedics from the Queensland Ambulance Service arrived shortly after to provide further medical assistance.

Following the event, medical professionals discovered that Koppa has a progressive genetic heart disease, which now prevents her from running. On the anniversary of the incident, Koppa is using her experience to advocate for heart health awareness, emphasizing the critical importance of bystander CPR and the availability of AEDs.