On a day known for luck and celebration, Bill Jordan got a little bit of both.
It was St. Patrick’s Day 2025 at Tops’l Beach and Racquet Resort, when the response of bystanders and South Walton Fire District firefighters gave Mr. Jordan a second chance at life.
He was waiting to receive his serve on the tennis court, even sporting a festive green jacket, when he went into sudden cardiac arrest.
Despite the jacket, Bill was in for plenty of “pinches” and medical interventions to come, but that’s when a little bit of luck came into play on the court. Several knowledgable bystanders provided immediate care: Fellow tennis player Diane McClenahan, his tennis partner Roger Cox, and Director of Tennis Joe D’Aleo came to Bill’s aid by checking his responsiveness and pulse, calling 911, performing effective chest compressions, and applying the on-site AED.
They continued care and defibrillated Bill’s heart multiple times before our firefighters arrived on-scene. Station 4, C-Shift crews then performed several Advanced Cardiac Life Support interventions before emergently transporting Bill to the hospital.
As the holiday passed by and he remained under medical care, Bill received a lifesaving, triple bypass surgery out-of-state and the ultimate cause for celebration: another chance at life.
Fast-forward seven months later, and the individuals who played a part in this story had the chance for a “rematch” on the court. While there weren’t many green jackets on-site for the reunion, there were a few challenge coins, handshakes, and hugs exchanged, instead.
As they say, it’s better to be lucky than good… but we like to think in the world of Emergency Medicine, the two often go hand in hand.
It is very rare we have the chance to see a patient again and learn about their outcome, but we couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity. Thank you to the Jordan family for permission to share this story.
Photo left to right: Lieutenant/Paramedic Jason Durko, Firefighter/EMT Noah Collins, Firefighter/EMT Trenton Dell, Firefighter/Paramedic Travis Brady, Cardiac Arrest Survivor Bill Jordan, Director of Tennis Joe D’Aleo, and Bystander Diane McClenahan.
Not pictured but integral to the outcome of this event: SWFD Firefighter/Paramedic Gage Brannon, Tennis Player Roger Cox, and WCSO Deputy Jacobs.
