'A second chance': Man reunites with Longview paramedics who helped save his life

Scott Gillispie, right, greets Capt. Adam Deary of the Longview Fire Department, on Wednesday at LFD Station No. 6. Deary was among the group of firefighters who helped save Gillispie’s life after he went into a cardiac arrest while working out at Crunch Fitness last November.
Michael Cavazos, News-Journal Photo

Longview Journal 
By Yolene Romero
March 02, 2023 at 06:05AM

Scott Gillispie stood Wednesday evening inside Longview Fire Station No. 6 wearing a shirt with the words, “I’ve Won The Game of Life.”

Gillispie was preparing to meet with fire department paramedics who helped save his life almost four months ago after he suffered cardiac arrest.

When he saw members of the crew, Gillispie couldn’t hold back his tears as he embraced the men one by one and offered his thanks. He also had brought along pizza and snacks as “the least he could do” to repay them.

Gillispie said Nov. 16 was a normal day.

That morning, he walked his dogs, made breakfast and decided to book a spin class at Crunch Fitness. He hadn’t attended a class in a while because of lingering effects of COVID-19, he said.

Gillispie said he doesn’t remember anything from that morning and has to rely on his wife and spin class instructor for the details.

Twenty minutes into the class, he began coughing and eventually started choking. The choking cut off oxygen to his brain, which then shut down his heart. Gillispie then fell and hit his head and right side of his body.

“But God had reached out to me that day,” he said.

An ICU nurse and a doctor also were in the class, and they got to work helping Gillispie. They had trouble getting the bike out from under him because he was still gripping it, and by this point he had turned blue, he said.

People in the class helped move the bikes to make space to put him down on the floor, and the nurse and doctor started CPR. A trainer from the gym also brought an automated external defibrillator (AED) and administered a shock before paramedics arrived.

Rance Butler drove the ambulance that day and was lead paramedic.

“Whenever we got there, we found Mr. Gillispie on the floor. CPR was already in progress,” he said. “They had been doing really good, high-quality CPR.”

Paramedics continued doing CPR and followed protocol for a cardiac arrest, which included chest compressions. Responders also opened an airway and placed Gillispie on a cardiac monitor before transporting him to Longview Regional Medical Center.

While Gillispie was in Longview Regional, his heart and arteries were checked for blockage and came back clear. He also had surgery to implant a pacemaker.

It took time for him to recover, and Gillispie said the road hasn’t been easy.

“For the first month I was crying ... multiple times a day. My wife was worried that I was gonna spiral,” he said.

It’s been almost four months since that day, and Gillispie is able to stand — although he’s still in a bit of pain — and can walk and talk, which he considers a miracle.

“That’s a testament to not only what these men and women do, but to how wonderful and great God is,” he said. “He has a purpose for me. I don’t know what that purpose is, but I know that somehow, someway I’m going to make a difference in someone’s life.”

According to Butler, Gillispie’s outcome has been good, and it’s in part because of his “successful situation” where early CPR and defibrillation were administered.

“For him to make a full recovery and be out here talking to us right now, walking and seems like he’s doing great, he’s been blessed,” Butler said.

Gillispie considers the experience a “rebirth” and something he doesn’t take for granted.

“God gave me a second chance at life,” he said.