An 18-year-old college freshman from Michigan nearly lost his life after going into cardiac arrest during a group run — but one year later, he’s helping others learn the very skill that saved him.
“I’m kind of paying it forward,” said Ethan King, now a sophomore at the University of Michigan, as he reflected on his near-fatal collapse in August 2024. Since recovering, he and the young woman who rescued him, Hannah Stovall, have launched Cardiac Arrest Preparation (CAP), a campus initiative that’s already trained hundreds of students in CPR.
“The actual survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is less than 10%,” Ethan told ABC affiliate WXYZ. “So I got incredibly lucky that I survived.”
A Routine Run Turns Life-Threatening
On August 29, 2024, Ethan had just started his freshman year when he joined a seven-mile jog with the university’s running club through Burns Park in Ann Arbor, according to Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan’s academic medical center. The former high school athlete had only made it about a mile when he stumbled on a curb and suddenly collapsed.
“For a minute he was conscious, but he couldn’t get any words out,” recalled fellow runner Nolan Tribu, then a junior and the club’s social chair. “A few of us ran over to try and help. He wasn’t breathing.”
The group immediately called 911 — but none of the students knew CPR. That’s when Hannah Stovall, a 21-year-old senior, happened to pass by after a game of pickleball. Certified in CPR for six years, she quickly began chest compressions.
“As I was doing compressions, we watched his neck and face go from that pale blue color to splotchy red,” Hannah told WXYZ. “I remember hearing someone say, ‘It’s working, it’s working.’”
A hospitalist, Dr. Derek Dimcheff, also stopped to help. He later told Michigan Medicine that the “team effort” between bystanders and responders played a crucial role in saving Ethan’s life.
By the time paramedics arrived, a few shocks from an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) helped restore Ethan’s heartbeat, and he began breathing again.
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A Mother’s Worst Fear
While Ethan was being rushed to the hospital, his mother, Carrie King, was over 500 miles away in Virginia. When she got the call that her son was in a coma, she immediately drove to Michigan, terrified of what she might find.
“We wouldn’t know his brain function until he woke up,” she told Michigan Medicine. “It was something I didn’t want to say in front of my daughter. We almost had her stay home, but we wanted to bring her in case we had to make a hard decision.”
Just days later, on September 1, Ethan woke up. His breathing tube was removed, and to his family’s relief, his memory was fully intact. Doctors later implanted a subcutaneous cardioverter defibrillator to prevent future cardiac episodes.
Turning Survival Into Purpose
Once recovered, Ethan returned to school filled with gratitude — and a desire to give back.
“It’s hard to sum up the gratitude in words,” he said. “It’s not something many people can say literally: ‘They saved my life.’ There’s really no way to ever repay that.”
The experience inspired him and Hannah to start the Cardiac Arrest Preparation program. Together, they’ve trained hundreds of students in CPR across campus, ensuring more people are ready to respond in an emergency.
For the past two decades, the American Red Cross has reported that the survival rate for cardiac arrest outside of hospitals has remained around 10%. “Survival chances decrease by 10% for every minute that immediate CPR and use of an AED is delayed,” the organization notes. “Immediate CPR can triple the chance of survival.”
Spreading Awareness and Hope
Dr. David Pinsky, director of the University of Michigan Health Frankel Cardiovascular Center, praised Ethan’s mission in a statement, calling his recovery “remarkable.”
“In a situation where minutes matter, Ethan has helped create a future of possibility — recovery from cardiac arrest without neurological injury — for many others,” Pinsky said. “It’s a story of hope that inspires us all.”
Emergency physician Dr. Kyle Gunnerson agreed, emphasizing how quick action can make the difference between life and death. “When a young athlete goes down, the first instinct is not to think it’s a cardiac arrest,” he said. “But having the skills can help you feel less afraid to act if it does happen. Anyone can save a life by knowing basic CPR.
