ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Lynda Marino shared her personal cardiac arrest survival story during the CycleNation event at the Buffalo Bills’ Fieldhouse – urging more people to learn the CPR measures that saved her life.
In 2015, Lynda Marino went into cardiac arrest while driving her car down Transit Road.
“8 years ago, I suffered a cardiac arrest,” Marino said. “Because of the reactions of complete strangers that day and a whole lot of medical intervention later, I survived.”
Strangers provided her CPR and an AED, saving her life.
Now, Lynda and her sister, Marianne Potratz, celebrate her life with these shirts and have made it their personal mission to train others in CPR.
“It’s why I’m [alive], talking today,” Lynda said.
“I’m grateful every day that someone knew how to do CPR when my sister needed it,” Marianne said.
After that day, both were eventually diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a hereditary disease that can lead to heart failure.
Now, the two call themselves the ‘Sling Sisters.’
Which is a nod to when they both were in slings while recovering from surgery, receiving implantable cardiac defibrillators in case of a future emergency.
“This just helps more people to be educated and more possibilities to save lives,” Marianne said.
Both were at the ADPRO Sports Training Center during the CycleNation event.
They shared their stories and encouraged others to learn CPR on the day of the Bills first game in Cincinnati since Damar Hamlin’s on-field collapse.
“Seeing what happened to Damar Hamlin really prompted so many individuals to want to feel like they could do something in the case of an emergency,” said Lisa Neff, Senior Community Impact Director with the American Heart Association.
Hamlin’s story hit very close to home for both of them.
“My journey was oddly very similar in many ways,” Lynda said.
“It brought me back to when the same thing happened to my sister,” Marianne said. “I’m so grateful they both got CPR right away.”
They hope that both Lynda and Damar’s stories can encourage as many people as possible to learn CPR.
“You don’t get to choose the moment when CPR may be needed, and you’re the person there to administer it,” Lynda said. “The moment chooses you, and you just have to know [CPR].”
To attend or book a future Buffalo Bills CPR training, you can do so at www.heart.org/buffalobillscpr.
