BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — On New Year's Day, John Leszak collapsed two-tenths of the way through a 5K race at Old Fort Niagara. Little did the 66-year-old know that the racers behind him were ready to help.
"I checked for a heartbeat and there wasn't a heartbeat," said Marioly Ambrose, a clinical research nurse at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Ambrose was one of three strangers who began to do chest compressions and CPR on Leszak as his wife gave him rescue breaths.
Ambrose, Eileen Gramlich, a retired nurse, and Tina Sweeney, a Physician Assistant at a Niagara Falls Air Base, performed life-saving measures for 10 minutes until an ambulance and AED arrived.
WATCH: Nurses recount performing life saving measures during 5K race.
After he was taken to Mercy Hospital, the first responders and racers thought Leszak wasn't going to make it.
"It's only a 17% chance that you achieve a heartbeat out in the wild and even then that patient has only a 4% chance of making it out of the hospital," said Ambrose.
But after triple bypass surgery, Leszak has been back on the road — walking in three races so far.
"I think between my friends and my faith, I can get through anything in life," said Leszak.
"The biggest lesson is don't be afraid to jump in if you know what you're doing. I mean he's up and walking and talking. He did the work after we did our work," said Gramlich.
Leszak had completed 116 races before the beginning of 2024, he's hoping to start running soon, once his cardiologist approves.
You can find a CPR Certification class here.
