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NEENAH, Wis. (WFRV) – While volunteering at a Wisconsin medical center in 2022, Mike Yonkers began experiencing chest pressure that had been troubling him for two weeks.
“I was struggling to breathe when someone in blue appeared,” Yonkers recounted.
A passerby noticed his distress and inquired about his well-being.
“She insisted, ‘You really need to visit the emergency department,’ and accompanied me part of the way,” Yonkers shared. “After that, I never saw her again.”
Doctors soon confirmed that Yonkers was undergoing a heart attack, leading to a triple bypass surgery.
“I owe her my life,” Yonkers said, referring to the woman who helped him.
Now in 2026, the two reunited at Neenah ThedaCare Regional Medical Center for the first time. Erin Rusch, who was at the time a ThedaStar flight nurse, is now a registered nurse in the emergency department.
“I thought I had to at least ask, I can’t walk past and not at least ask about him,” Rusch said.
Rusch said the reunion brought her answers she never knew she would be able to get.
“Even years later, to find out that gut instinct was right, and I get to meet him!” Rusch said. “It was absolutely humbling.”
Now healthy and volunteering again, Yonkers said he hopes his story teaches others learn to take symptoms seriously, even if it doesn’t end up being serious.
“Take your symptoms seriously. Even if it turns out to be a false alarm, it’s worth taking the time and effort to get checked out.”