Heart attack survivor reunites with woman who saved his life

CORONA, Calif. (KABC) -- A heart attack survivor had the chance to thank a Good Samaritan who saved his life.

Alan Siddons and Pilar Mitchell met for the second time Monday afternoon, but Siddons does not remember that the two had met the same time last year.

Siddons was out for his regular four mile run along Foothills Parkway in Corona when he collapsed in full cardiac arrest.

Mitchell happened to be at a nearby stoplight when she heard screams for help. Mitchell, a dental hygienist, had taken a CPR class a year prior to attending dental school.

"Voices were going through my head like 'I took a class, but I've never done this before.' Long story short, I just couldn't pass it by so I got out of my car and rushed over to him and did what I was remembering in class to do," she said.

She did chest compressions until paramedics with the Corona Fire Department arrived and took over. They credit the mother of two with helping to keep Siddons alive.

Now, the fire department is teaching others CPR with a newly launched free community training program.

"A little bit of training can go a long way," firefighter John DeYoe said.

The Corona Fire Department is offering its next CPR program in May, and they are hoping people will be inspired by Siddons' and Michelle's story.