Utahn reunited with team who saved his life after triathlon heart attack

BURLEY, Idaho — What would you say to the people who saved your life? Utahn Scott Smith, 47, was reunited Friday with the medical care team whose quick actions made all the difference for him.

On July 27, Smith competed in the Spudman triathlon race in his hometown of Burley, in Idaho. It’s an annual event he loved and had participated in since he moved from Burley. As he crossed the finish line, he started feeling off. He trained extensively, including swimming in Idaho’s Snake River.

“My wife said, ‘A helicopter at this event? Isn’t that a little bit of overkill?’ We did not realize just how maybe foreshadowing that would be,” Smith said later. “My neck started to hurt. Then I started feeling some chest tightness. I attributed it to post-race being tired.”

When he started feeling nauseous, he went to the medical tent, where a nurse took his vitals.

Thats when the team knew he was having a heart attack. Smith was loaded into Intermountain Health’s Classic Air Medical helicopter and flown to Twin Falls.

“These things don’t happen very often, but when they do, they’re pretty time-sensitive,” flight medical Brett Cross said. Smith had a “widowmaker” heart attack that typically has a pretty high mortality rate.

“Only about 12% of people survive those heart attacks outside of the hospital,” physician’s assistant Brandon Pope said.

Doctors were able to repair Smith’s heart, and on Friday, he was able to have a reunion with the first responders who helped him.

“It was great to see him standing up and shaking our hand and being healthy,” Cross said.

“I don’t know what I can say to them other than because of the care that you took, I get to go home to my family, and my family has a father still,” Smith said.

Smith says he’s feeling better and healthier than ever.