North Texan survives cardiac arrest with emergency ECMO treatment at Texas Health Fort Worth

FORT WORTH, TEXAS, Oct. 5, 2026 – Greg Campbell blamed the burning sensation in his chest on a spicy dinner and the excitement of his annual golf trip. After finishing 18 holes, Campbell and his four close friends were returning home, and the burning only intensified. Suddenly, he lost consciousness and stopped breathing.

Just 47, Campbell was in cardiac arrest and needed emergency care. He received it at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, a Level I Trauma Center and a certified Comprehensive Cardiac Center.

More than 350,000 people in the U.S. have a cardiac arrest outside the hospital each year, making the condition a major public health crisis, according to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation.

Bystander CPR transitions into emergency care

As soon as Campbell stopped breathing, his friends jumped into action. They called 911 and several of his family members, while one friend performed CPR at a nearby gas station until paramedics arrived. They became “Team Miracle,” along with paramedics and Campbell’s care team at Texas Health Fort Worth.

“So many individuals helped save my life, and my sister-in-law, Erin, is a vital part of Team Miracle,” Campbell said. Erin Frazier, M.S.N., R.N., PCCN, CNL, is also a nursing supervisor at Texas Health Fort Worth.

“It truly was amazing to experience this from a family member’s perspective,” Frazier said. “I knew he needed to go to Texas Health Fort Worth, because the hospital provides critically ill patients with the immediate care they require for a better chance of survival.”

Receiving advanced life support treatment at Texas Health Fort Worth

Speaking with Campbell’s friends and paramedics, Frazier provided detailed information to the Texas Health Fort Worth care team in advance of his arrival.

“Mr. Campbell had received CPR for more than 45 minutes and was still in cardiac arrest upon arrival. His sister-in-law advocating for transport to a hospital with ECMO resources was crucial,” said Jonathan Besas, D.O., a pulmonologist on the hospital’s medical staff and medical director of the ECMO program. “Every second was critical to his survival.”

The care team, which included Rahul Rasheed, D.O., a critical care surgeon on the Texas Health Fort Worth medical staff, initiated ECMO while CPR was still being performed in the Emergency Department. ECMO, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, is a procedure that involves increasing oxygen in the blood and easing strain on the heart and lungs.

ECMO takes place outside of the body by pumping blood through an artificial heart-lung machine to remove carbon dioxide before returning oxygen-rich blood. According to Rasheed, who helped place Campbell on the machine, ECMO-assisted CPR is an advanced form of resuscitation strategy. “ECMO gave the care team valuable time to restore circulation, determine why his heart stopped and help keep Mr. Campbell alive in the process.”

Extensive tests revealed Campbell’s right coronary artery, which supplies oxygen-rich blood to the heart, was completely blocked.

“Mr. Campbell’s blocked artery caused his heart attack and triggered cardiac arrest,” said Brendan Reagan, M.D., an interventional cardiologist on the Texas Health Fort Worth medical staff who is also a member of Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists, a Texas Health Physicians Group practice*. “The electrical chaos associated with the cardiac arrest kept his heart from effectively pumping blood to his vital organs.”

Still on ECMO, Campbell was moved to the catheterization lab, where Reagan performed a stent procedure to restore blood flow to the artery. Less than 24 hours later, Campbell was breathing on his own.

Expressing gratitude through testimony

“Hearing Mr. Campbell refer to the care team as ‘Team Miracle’ is a reminder of the significance of Texas Health Fort Worth’s ECMO program,” Besas said. “It provides patients in dire situations a chance at survival.”

Frazier agreed, adding she feels blessed to be part of Campbell’s patient journey.

“Being part of my family’s journey reinforced my passion for nursing,” Frazier said. “I know the impact of how one interaction can help change someone’s trajectory for the better.”

Five days after his cardiac event, Campbell returned home and celebrated his 26^th wedding anniversary. Campbell credits his survival to his strong faith, loved ones, paramedics and the care team at Texas Health Fort Worth.

“There’s nothing special about me, but there’s something very special about God and the people who dedicate themselves to doing good work,” Campbell said. “They were the hands and feet of God, and we all have that ability to be part of ‘Team Miracle’ every day in someone’s life.”

*Physicians employed by Texas Health Physicians Group practice independently and are not employees or agents of Texas Health Resources hospitals.