Kayley’s heart stopped beating for several minutes. Several strangers stepped in to save her life

A Brisbane woman who suffered a cardiac arrest while running has been reunited with several strangers who helped save her life.

Kayley Koppa, 43, was about 10 kilometres into a 16-kilometre run along the Brisbane River when she suddenly became unwell and sat on a park bench.

She was seen doing this on CCTV, but what she didn’t realise at the time was that she was going into cardiac arrest.

“I was running and I saw this building here, and I don’t remember anything else,” she said.

She was found, collapsed on the boardwalk, by David McMillan, who was walking past.

9News can reveal excerpts of the Triple Zero call he made.

“We were walking on the boardwalk and someone’s laying, and we’ve stopped to see if she’s OK, and she’s unresponsive,” he told the operator.

He was told to find an automated external defibrillator (AED), and luckily a nearby business had one.

This is when another stranger, security guard Trevor Tryna, stepped in and operated the AED.

“She needed our help, so that’s all your fixed on is helping her out,” he told 9News.

Koppa’s heart stopped for several minutes, but thanks to McMillan and Tryna’s quick thinking, they were able to help her until paramedics arrived.

Paramedic Emma Medcraft had no doubts the actions of complete strangers saved Koppa’s life.

“I think that if the defib and bystanders’ CPR hadn’t been performed in this case, she would be in a much worse state than she is,” she said.

After recovering in hospital, Koppa was reunited with the people who saved her life.

“I can’t believe I am still alive thanks to everybody who came to help me,” she said.

She is sharing her story on World Restart a Heart Day, which encourages people to learn how to use AED’s, as well as spreading awareness for sudden cardiac arrest, even in people who have never shown symptoms or appear to be healthy.

“You never know who’s going to need it and that day it ended up being me,” she said.