• Public-private partnership, teamwork and preparation gave visiting Oklahoma grandfather the best chance at survival
• Detroit is the largest HEARTSafe Community in the U.S., anyone can learn Hands-Only CPR for free through the Detroit Fire Department

Christmas Eve is a day the Kirkpatrick family will never forget.

The family was visiting Detroit from Oklahoma for its annual Christmas trip, spending the day Downtown to see the city dressed up for the holiday. Inside the lobby of One Campus Martius, 79-year-old Leighton Kirkpatrick suddenly collapsed, suffering a sudden cardiac arrest.

Today, Mr. Kirkpatrick is celebrating his 80th birthday surrounded by the Detroit first responders and private-sector partners who helped save his life. His survival began with the immediate actions of a Good Samaritan who has not yet been identified. The individual began performing CPR almost immediately after Mr. Kirkpatrick collapsed.

Within two minutes, an EMT and security officer arrived, took over CPR and used an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to deliver a lifesaving shock. Mr. Kirkpatrick regained a pulse before Detroit Fire Department crews arrived.

Minutes after the 911 call, Detroit Fire Department Squad 2 arrived with four firefighters, including Lieutenant David Ghesquiere, a Paramedic, and three EMTs. Because Detroit firefighters and EMS personnel have been cross trained since 2021, the crew was able to immediately assist with medical care.

Seven minutes after the 911 call, a Detroit Fire Department EMS crew arrived to transport Mr. Kirkpatrick to the hospital. Lieutenant Ghesquiere, the Paramedic from Squad 2, remained with the EMS crew to assist with medical care during the transport.

But the emergency was not over.

While enroute to Detroit Receiving Hospital, Mr. Kirkpatrick went into cardiac arrest a second time. The DFD team immediately resumed CPR, established an advanced airway and delivered another shock. Mr. Kirkpatrick regained a strong pulse and began breathing on his own.

He was transported to Detroit Receiving Hospital for continued care, beginning a recovery that has now brought him back to Detroit to celebrate his 80th birthday with the people who helped give him a second chance at life.  

Leighton Kirkpatrick and his family pose with the team of first responders from the Detroit Fire Department and Rock Security/City Shield Security Services who brought him back to life. 

“This is exactly what a strong public-private partnership looks like,” said Mayor Mary Sheffield. “It was wonderful to meet Mr. Kirkpatrick and his family and to see firsthand how a community can come together when someone’s life is on the line. Public safety is a shared responsibility, and communication, collaboration and strong partnerships are critical to keeping both Detroiters and the millions of people who visit our city safe,” Mayor Sheffield added. “I want to thank Dan Gilbert and Rock Security for its continued commitment to the safety of the residents, workers and visitors who spend time in the spaces and places Bedrock operates and manages.”

Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms looks on as Mayor Mary Sheffield meets Leighton Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick said "It's great to be met", remarked on the beauty of the city, and told Mayor Sheffield she's doing a great job. 

Detroit is the nation’s largest HEARTSafe Community — and Mr. Kirkpatrick’s story shows why it matters

Detroit was designated the largest municipality in the United States to earn HEARTSafe Community status in 2024, recognizing the city’s commitment to CPR education, public access to AEDs, community preparedness and coordinated emergency response.

Mr. Kirkpatrick’s survival is a powerful example of why those efforts matter.

“During this incident, every link in the lifesaving chain was there,” said Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms. “This is why we have to continue pushing to get more Detroiters educated in Hands-Only CPR,” Simms said. “Our firefighters and EMS teams are going to get there as quickly as we possibly can, but after a cardiac arrest, every second matters. The person standing next to you may be the most important link in that lifesaving chain. We all have a responsibility to learn these skills, because one day it could be someone we love.”

Commissioner Simms also issued a plea asking for the Good Samaritan who was the first link in this lifesaving chain to reach out and contact the Detroit Fire Department, so we can connect them with the Kirkpatrick Family, who wants to thank them for stepping in when it was needed most.

The City of Detroit has made significant progress in improving cardiac arrest outcomes. According to 2025 CARES data, Detroit’s Utstein survival rate—the national benchmark for witnessed cardiac arrests involving a shockable rhythm—rose from 8.2% in 2015 to 25.0% in 2024. Among patients who received bystander CPR or AED use, survival reached 39.5%. Bystander CPR performance also increased from 13% in 2015 to 36% in 2024.

“Seconds matter when someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest,” said Detroit Fire Department Medical Director Dr. Robert Dunne. “A person in sudden cardiac arrest is not simply sick—they are dead. You cannot make them any worse by performing CPR, but in some cases, you can bring them back to life.”

“Bystander CPR is one of the most important links in the chain of survival because it keeps oxygenated blood moving while we are on the way,” Dunne said. “Mr. Kirkpatrick’s story demonstrates exactly why we are working so hard to put the knowledge, training and tools to save a life into the hands of the public. We are also continuing to work with community partners to put more AEDs in locations where the public can access them in the case of an emergency.”

Detroit Fire Department Lieutenant and Paramedic David Ghesquiere shares his story of helping save Mr. Kirkpatrick Christmas Eve, and how the training makes all the difference. 

Rock Family of Companies investment in public safety puts lifesaving resources where they are needed

As part of Dan Gilbert’s commitment to Detroit, the Rock Family of Companies has EMTs and Rock Security serving its downtown footprint around the clock. That investment put trained personnel and an AED within moments of Mr. Kirkpatrick when he collapsed.

“Ensuring that security and EMTs are in place across our downtown footprint is an investment that Dan Gilbert has made for exactly this reason - to provide immediate attention and care when someone’s life is hanging in the balance,” said Chuck Wilson, Chief Security Officer of Rock Security. “We are grateful that Mr. Kirkpatrick not only survived this incident but is doing well and is here today celebrating his 80th birthday with us. His story is a powerful reminder of why preparation, teamwork and being ready to act can make all the difference.”

Rock Security contracts with City Shield Security to provide added security and medical response. The EMT and security officer who responded to Mr. Kirkpatrick were among the first trained professionals to reach him, taking over CPR from the Good Samaritan and delivering the first AED shock that restored his pulse.

“We are thankful for the opportunity to work alongside Rock Security to play a role in keeping Detroit’s residents and visitors safe,” said Al Shenouda, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of City Shield Security. “Our team members acted swiftly when Mr. Kirkpatrick needed help, and I recognized them for those actions long before I ever knew what the outcome of this incident would be.”

“Knowing now that Mr. Kirkpatrick survived and is doing well makes that recognition even more meaningful,” Shenouda said. “City Shield is proud to employ hundreds of Detroit residents and to serve businesses and organizations throughout the city. Our people live, work and raise their families here, and keeping this community safe is something we take very seriously. We are proud of the training and preparation that allowed our team to respond immediately when Mr. Kirkpatrick needed help."

Firefighter and EMT Ravion Davis is currently in DFD's Paramedic training program. Today happened to be his birthday as well. Mr. Kirkpatrick was presented with a gift from the team who saved him - from one birthday boy to another! 

Mr. Kirkpatrick, his wife Kat and daughter Emilie flew up from Oklahoma for this opportunity to thank the team in person. He is grateful to everyone who played a role in giving him the opportunity to celebrate another birthday.

“While I don't have clear memories of what happened on Christmas Eve, I know that there were a lot of people who refused to give up on me,” said Mr. Kirkpatrick. “I am thankful to each and every person who played a role in bringing me back. I am working every day to get stronger and am eternally grateful for this opportunity to be here, to celebrate my 80th birthday and to spend more time with my family.”

The Kirkpatrick Family made a generous donation of five AEDs to the City of Detroit, to be used as part of a new Community AED program Dr. Dunne is currently working on. These AEDs will be placed strategically to be available to the public when needed. 

Leighton Kirkpatrick shakes the hand of Firefighter EMT Randolph Lloyd, one of the members of Squad 2 who helped him Christmas Eve. 

Detroiters can learn to be the first link in the lifesaving chain

The Detroit Fire Department offers FREE Hands-Only CPR and AED awareness training to Detroit residents at the Walter P. Harris Regional Training Center. The approximately 45-minute classes require no prior medical experience and are designed to give participants the confidence and knowledge to act during a cardiac emergency.

DFD also provides free Hands-Only CPR and AED training to larger community groups, schools, businesses, faith-based organizations and other organizations that would like the department to bring the training directly to their community.

Residents and visitors are also encouraged to download the PulsePoint AED app, which provides the locations of publicly accessible AEDs throughout Detroit and helps users quickly identify the nearest lifesaving device when a cardiac emergency occurs.

Learn CPR. Know where the nearest AED is. Be ready to help.

We are all charged with helping each other—and Mr. Kirkpatrick’s story is a powerful reminder that the person who saves a life may be standing just a few feet away when an emergency happens.