How PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center and community readiness saved Dan's life
When Dan collapsed at Hayward Field, quick CPR and expert care at PeaceHealth Oregon Heart & Vascular Institute turned a life-threatening moment into survival.
“That’s how she knew it was me,” Dan Pritchard said.
The hat was the first clue. A wide-brimmed straw sun hat, sitting upright on the white line separating lanes one and two in the southeast corner of Hayward Field during the last NCCA championship in June 2025.
Moments later, chaos unfolded. Dan Pritchard, a 71-year-old volunteer and lifelong sports enthusiast, collapsed from cardiac arrest. A swirl of athletic staff and EMTs rushed to perform chest compressions and strapped him with LUCAS, a mechanical CPR device that delivers consistent, high‑quality chest compressions to improve outcomes during cardiac arrest.
Soon after, Dan was rushed to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center. PeaceHealth's expert cardiac teams treated Dan’s two blocked arteries and replaced a valve, the kind of care that gave him a second chance at life.
Patrice, Dan’s wife, felt an overwhelming relief when she saw him post-surgery; he was alive, well and smiling! “It could have gone either way,” she said, “but God had his hand in this.” Dan had felt short of breath the day before but brushed it off and then remembered nothing until he woke up in a hospital room with his wife and son beside him. Thanks to the swift, coordinated efforts of EMTs, PeaceHealth’s Emergency room and cardiac care teams, Dan received life-saving expert treatment.
Dan’s story is a testament to the power of timely intervention. It’s also a powerful reminder that investing in cutting-edge technology transforms the quality-of-care patients receive. Through donor support, PeaceHealth has strengthened cardiac care cross its communities — equipping Sheriff’s patrol cars with AEDs for faster emergency response, building Cath labs to treat more patients annually, and funding cardiac rehab scholarships so patients can recover without financial barriers. These investments ensure that when every second counts, lives are saved.
Back home now, Dan is profoundly grateful and understands how critical timely care can be. His assignment for the rest of the season is simple: spectator.
“Dan’s story shows the remarkable difference community readiness can make,” says Dr. Sudeshna Banerjee, cardiologist at PeaceHealth Oregon Heart and Vascular Institute. “Quick CPR and advanced tools at PeaceHealth kept him alive. Continued investment in training and technology is critical to ensuring more stories end like Dan’s.”
