TV Talk: WPXI’s Susan Koeppen recounts life-saving CPR event

Just as two medical students ran to the aid of news anchor Susan Koeppen when she collapsed while jogging in Shadyside in 2011, Koeppen came to the aid of a man who had a cardiac incident while driving in July.

The WPXI-TV anchor will be reunited with him in a report at 5:45 p.m. today on Channel 11 News.

Koeppen said she was driving down Penn Avenue in Point Breeze, waiting at a red light to turn left on South Dallas Avenue, when Mark Symms suffered cardiac arrest while driving in the opposite direction. His vehicle drifted through the intersection, jumped the curb and crashed into a fence.

“I jumped out of my car, ran across two lanes of traffic, realized he was in cardiac arrest, popped his seatbelt and pulled him out of his car and started CPR,” Koeppen recalled just before anchoring today’s 4 p.m. newscast.

Koeppen said Dustin Kovalcik, a delivery driver for Don’s Appliances, was right behind her and called 911.

“He helped me lay Mark on the ground,” Koeppen said. “I immediately knew he was in cardiac arrest. He had no pulse and was unresponsive and he was doing agonal breathing which means your brain isn’t getting oxygen, like you’re a fish out of water gasping. I gave hands-only CPR, no breath, pressing on his chest until first responders arrived.”

Koeppen had her own cardiac arrest incident while jogging in November 2012. It followed a heart valve condition diagnosis a few years earlier.

Koeppen was reunited with Symms earlier this month to tell him the story of what happened to him. She said the WPXI report aims to promote CPR awareness and how a lay person can help in such incidents.

“You can save a life with your own two hands,” Koeppen said. “Doctors at UPMC said our quick actions saved [Mark’s] life.”

You can reach TV writer Rob Owen at rowen@triblive.com or 412-380-8559. Follow Rob on Twitter or Facebook. Ask TV questions by email or phone. Please include your first name and location.