Marathoner Reunites With the EMS Team That Saved Him

Pram Adriansjach doesn't remember the last time he saw Firefighter/Paramedics Becky Blaschka and Jenna Larson. He doesn’t remember crossing the finish line of the Madison Marathon. He doesn't even remember the race.

It was a chilly November morning when Adriansjach completed the 26.2 kilometer course—a loop around Lake Monona with a scenic leg along the Mendota shores. When he crossed the finish line in the shadow of the State Capitol, he suddenly collapsed. 

Staffers quickly placed Adriansjach in a wheelchair and took him to the nearby Medical Tent, where the Madison Marathon medical team, consisting of Madison Fire Department paramedics and SSM Health doctors and nurses, determined he did not have a normal heart rhythm.

The team swung into action, providing high-quality CPR and preparing to deliver shocks with a defibrillator. Meanwhile, MFD Medic 4, Engine 1, and Ladder 1 were dispatched to the scene to support the lifesaving efforts.

After two rounds of CPR and two shocks, Adriansjach's heart began beating normally again. But his condition was still fragile. The medical team continued to provide ventilations and kept a close eye on his heart rhythm. Once stabilized, Adriansjach was transported to UW Hospital, where treatment and recovery continued.

Just three and a half weeks later, Adriansjach was back at work, preparing to reopen his popular family-owned restaurant. But first, there was another kind of business he wanted to tend to: saying “thank you” to the people who helped save his life.

In a tearful reunion, Adriansjach embraced the doctors, nurses, paramedics, and EMTs who responded to his emergency.

"Thank you," he said. "I don't know what else to say but thank you."

It was a special occasion for everyone. First responders rarely get to reunite with their patients, and oftentimes they never know how their patient fared after being admitted to the hospital. 

In this case, the medical team had the opportunity to see the impact of their work firsthand, meeting the family and "work family" all directly impacted by Adriansjach's life-threatening experience. 

"Thank you for saving my oldest son," said Adrianjach's father, Roni Sjachrani, known affectionately by restaurant staff as "Papah." 

The impact was also felt by a community at large, with loyal customers inquiring about the sudden closure of Adriansjach's restaurant, Bandung Indonesian Cuisine, which has been a neighborhood staple for 23 years.

"I want people to know what you did and the impact you made," Adriansjach told FF/PMs Blaschka and Larson, and FF/EMTs Tyler McDougal and Tommy Shannon, who attended the reunion. "You affect a lot of people."

Sara Klemme, President of Madison Festivals which runs the Madison Marathon, was also on hand to present Adriansjach with the “Finisher” medal he earned but was unable to claim that fateful day. Commended for staying active and fit, the medical team noted that Adriansjach’s good overall health put him in a better position to make this full recovery. 

Adriansjach hopes his story inspires others to take good care of themselves and, just as importantly, to learn CPR in case someone they know needs the same kind of help he did. 

In Madison, survival rates are strong for people who happen to suffer cardiac arrest in the presence of others. This is thanks to a "chain of survival" involving quick recognition by bystanders, immediate 911 activation, hands-only CPR performed by bystanders, high-performance CPR and advanced life support provided by the Madison Fire Department, and definitive care provided by our local hospitals.

"It's a full community effort to save someone's life,” said FF/PM Jenna Larson.

Adriansjach reopened the doors to his restaurant on December 12, exactly one month after his emergency. While he's still taking it easy, his passion for cooking good food in the company of family remains strong as ever.

"I have more people to feed," he said, spoken with the resolve of a true survivor.

Learn CPR With MFD

We’re committed to giving everyone the best chance of survival, and you play a significant role. Each month we offer free, 45-minute hands-only CPR and AED classes. Follow our Eventbrite page and subscribe to our blog to receive updates when new classes open. If you'd like to become CPR-certified, find a Red Cross class in your area.

Download the PulsePoint app today and be alerted when someone near you needs CPR. You are a critical link in the “chain of survival!"