Michael Kiernan

Michael Kiernan, from Long Beach, NY, is a computer network administrator with the New York State Unified Court System. On October 16th, 2009, Michael was commuting home and went into sudden cardiac arrest on a New York City subway train. Thanks to the efforts of two fellow passengers, Michael received over 23 minutes of lifesaving Hands-Only CPR until the train reached the next stop where a defibrillator was used to shock his heart back into a normal rhythm.

Michael was given a second chance at life and recovered with full brain function. He is committed to helping the American Heart Association in spreading the word about the importance and ease of learning Hands-Only CPR. He also advocates for the greater availability of AED defibrillators in public places. Michael’s story has appeared in the New York Times and in a popular television commercial, produced by New York-Presbyterian Hospital, in the New York metropolitan area.