Dane County hosts annual Cardiac Arrest Survivor Celebration

July 27, 2026
Andrew Beckett
Emergency Management

MADISON, Wis. – Cardiac arrest can strike at any time, and the chances of surviving can be greatly improved by how quickly those around you are able to act. The importance of this early intervention, and the many people who play a role in providing that care, was on full display Friday, July 24 at Dane County’s annual Cardiac Arrest Survivor Celebration.

“Nobody survives going into cardiac arrest alone, and those recognized through this annual celebration highlight how many people are often involved in saving a life,” said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard. “Bystanders performing CPR, the 911 call taker giving instructions, the EMS crew working on a patient in the back of an ambulance, and the doctors and nurses who provide treatment and care in the hospital; all of them are an essential part of improving the chances of survival.”

The Cardiac Arrest Survivor Celebration is an opportunity to highlight Dane County and its partners’ strong commitment to improving outcomes from sudden cardiac arrest. Held this year at the Madison Mallards Duck Pond, the ceremony recognized the lives of 42 cardiac arrest survivors saved between April 2025 and April 2026 by first responders, bystanders and hospitals.

Among those attending this year’s celebration was Bill Tygum of Waunakee, who went into cardiac arrest in March 2026. Tygum said he woke up feeling a little uncomfortable but thought it was caused by yard work he had been doing the day before. He went about his daily routine and dropped one of his daughters off at school.

As he drove home, his symptoms worsened, prompting his wife to call 911 shortly after he arrived. Paramedics arrived within minutes. As he heard them pulling up, Tygum walked out to meet the ambulance in the driveway and started losing the feeling in his arms and legs, along with experiencing worsening tunnel vision. 

“It felt like I was the walking dead. My last memory is of walking to the ambulance and seeing someone inside,” Tygum said. “I apparently climbed into the back and immediately went into cardiac arrest.”

What followed was almost 40 minutes of CPR and 15 shocks from an AED on the way to the hospital. The team working on him was able to communicate ahead to the hospital and discuss treatment options, so doctors were ready to act when the ambulance arrived. Tygum was placed on a heart and lung bypass machine for a day and a half.

After a brief hospitalization, Tygum was able to go home. Today, he’s back at work and says he feels healthier than he has in years.

“I want to send my deepest gratitude and appreciation to all these people who helped me. Their actions were so heroic,” Tygum said. “At every step of the way, there were people working on me who knew me or had family members who went through our swim school. It was pretty amazing, and I am just beyond grateful for the work they did to save my life.”

Tygum’s survivor story highlights the system of care that exists to help patients throughout Dane County every day, with first responders, staff at 911, and the hospital teams all working together to communicate and provide the best care as quickly as possible.

"This event is a powerful reminder of why I dedicated my career to EMS,” said Dr. Nick Wleklinski, SSM Health WI Associate EMS Medical Director. “It serves as a testament to the seamless integration of education, protocols, and interdisciplinary collaboration—and how those elements come together to create a life-altering impact in our community. In emergency medicine, we rarely have the privilege of reconnecting with patients after the worst moments of their lives; being able to stand alongside these survivors and their families is a humbling validation of why we do this work."

The Survivor Celebration also recognizes those who stepped forward to help perform CPR until emergency responders arrived.

“The chances of survival from sudden cardiac arrest increase significantly when bystanders perform CPR in those first few minutes,” said Dane County Emergency Management Assistant Director Carrie Meier. “Everyone has an opportunity to be a hero and save a life by learning a skill as simple as hands-only CPR. Many local fire departments and community organizations offer CPR training throughout the year.”

Citizen bystanders can also download PulsePoint – a free smartphone app that can alert them to nearby victims of sudden cardiac arrest. PulsePoint uses location-based technology to send alerts to users about incidents in nearby public places, giving them an opportunity to help until emergency medical personnel arrive on scene. In 2025, the PulsePoint app alerted 2,500 people in Dane County that CPR was needed in their area.

Learn more about PulsePoint at https://em.countyofdane.com/CPR/pulsepoint.

People are also encouraged to register AEDs they see in the community through the PulsePoint app, which allows 911 to identify nearby devices when they receive a call. Register devices at https://aedregistry.pulsepoint.org/index.php.