In Mesa, a heartfelt reunion took place between a local man and the first responders who saved his life at a marathon. Albert Meade, who had suffered a cardiac arrest just moments after completing the Mesa Marathon, met the team that intervened to preserve his life, according to a report by FOX 10 Phoenix.

Meade recounted his ordeal, stating he remembered receiving his finisher's medal and attempting to catch his breath before losing consciousness. Mesa Fire and Medical Department personnel stepped in, performing CPR for nearly eight minutes, and successfully revived him. "I don’t even know how to put it into words. It’s just, the thought. I’m going to go for a run and try and stay healthy and active, and kind of get dealt this card," Meade told AZ Family, expressing the shock of the experience.

Captain Scott Figgins of the Mesa Fire and Medical highlighted the value of their continuous training in making the rescue successful. He emphasized the rarity and significance of such meetings, as first responders typically don't see patients after they are handed off to the hospital.

Figgins expressed his gratification at having been able to send Meade back home to his family, "To recognize that we were able to have an individual who went into cardiac arrest and bring him home to his wife, bring him home to his kids, to know that he’s now there for them, it is truly why we do what we do," he said, according to AZ Family. Since the incident, Meade has had a defibrillator implanted.

For Meade, meeting the individuals who played a crucial role in his survival was deeply meaningful. "It was unreal, and I just wanted to be able to put faces to names and be able to shake hands with people who were there who helped me," he explained in his gratitude-filled statement to AZ Family.