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Lebanon County man survives heart attack thanks to son's CPR, first responders

Lebanon County man survives heart attack thanks to son's CPR, first responders
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      IT’S TOUGH TO TALK ABOUT EACH TIME I TALK ABOUT. I THINK IT’S GOING TO GET EASIER, BUT IT DOESN’T GET ANY EASIER. MAN. 21 YEAR OLD SIMON DOMENCIC CAN’T HOLD BACK THE TEARS. I MEAN, I KNEW IT WAS BAD FROM THE JUMP. EVEN NOW, MONTHS AFTER HIS DAD HAD A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK, IT’S HARD. I THOUGHT MY DAD WAS DEAD EVEN WHEN I WAS DOING IT. CPR. I THOUGHT HE WAS ALREADY TOO FAR GONE. I DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF MEMORIES OF THAT DAY. IT’S KIND OF FOGGY, REALLY, VERY VAGUELY. DOCTOR PHIL DOMENCIC DOESN’T REMEMBER HIS SON PERFORMING CPR FOR EIGHT MINUTES OR THE SEVEN TIMES FIRST RESPONDERS SHOCKED HIM. HE DOES KNOW THEIR ACTIONS SAVED HIS LIFE. THAT’S JUST A BLESSING. AND I JUST SAY BY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT THEY WERE HERE AND THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENED. DOMENCIC SPENT JUST ABOUT A WEEK IN THE HOSPITAL. HIS WIFE, AMY, DOCUMENTED THE JOURNEY, A JOURNEY, SHE SAYS FRIENDS, FAMILY AND FAITH GOT THEM THROUGH. I KNOW THAT GOD IS JUST HOLDING ME IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND. PHIL IS RECOVERING WELL. HE GOES TO CARDIAC REHAB AT PENN STATE HEALTH THREE DAYS A WEEK, AND HAS RETURNED TO WORK ON A PART TIME BASIS. DURING A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, HE RECOGNIZED THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARRIVED AT THEIR HOME THAT NIGHT. JUST THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THEIR RESPONSES. THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE. THANK YOU FOR THEIR PRAYERS. JUST JUST VERY GRATEFUL. THE FAMILY IS ALSO GRATEFUL FOR SIMON, WHO LEARNED CPR TWICE BUT NEVER THOUGHT HE’D USE IT. YEAH, IT’S PRETTY CRAZY. I, I, I DON’T KNOW, IT’S LIKE, HOW DO YOU THANK SOMEONE FOR SAVING YOUR HUSBAND’S LIFE? I HOPE HE FEELS IT. I YEAH, I’M SO GRATEFUL. SO GRATEFUL. THE DOMENCIC KNOW THERE ARE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE. THEY’D LIKE EVERYONE TO LEARN CPR, SAYING YOU NEVER KNOW WHOSE LIFE YOU MIGHT SAVE. THEY’VE ALSO LEARNED TO EMBRACE EVERY MOMENT. I THINK IT’S ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHERE YOU. YOU REALLY GET A CHECKPOINT AND YOU GET A SECOND LEASE. AND A SECOND CHANCE REALLY ON LIFE. SO THAT’S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE BLESSING. A BLESSING. THIS FAMILY IS TAKING TO HEART. OH, HE’S HERE FOREVER. YEAH. IN LEBANON COUNT
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      Lebanon County man survives heart attack thanks to son's CPR, first responders
      A Susquehanna Valley school leader is sharing his story of survival, and you'll only see it on News 8.Cornwall-Lebanon Superintendent Philip Domencic has been an educator for more than 30 years, but he may have learned his most important lesson back in January. He and his family want others to know the lesson too."It's tough to talk about. Each time I talk about it, I think it's going to get easier, but it doesn't get easier," Simon Domencic said.The 21-year-old couldn't hold back the tears."I mean, I knew it was bad from the jump," he said.Even months after his dad, Philip, had a massive heart attack, it's hard to think about."I thought my dad was dead. Even when I was doing it, the CPR, I thought he was already too far gone," Simon said."I don't actually have a lot of memories of that day. It's kind of foggy, really," Philip said.Philip doesn't remember his son performing CPR for eight minutes or the seven times that first responders shocked him. He does know their actions saved his life."That's just a blessing, and I just say by the grace of God that they were here, that everything happened," Philip said.He spent about a week in a hospital.His wife, Amy, documented the journey – a journey she said friends, family, and faith got them through."I know that God was just holding me in the palm of His hand," she said.Philip is expected to fully recover. He goes to cardiac rehab at Penn State Health three days a week and has returned to work on a part-time basis.During a school board meeting, he recognized the men and women who arrived at their home that night."Just thank you. Thank you for their responses. Thank you for being there. Thank you for their prayers. Just very grateful," he said.The family is also grateful for Simon, who learned CPR twice but never thought he'd use it."It's pretty crazy. It's like, how do you thank someone for saving your husband's life. I hope he feels it. I'm so grateful, so grateful," Amy said.The Domencics know there are lessons to be learned from their experience.They'd like everyone to learn CPR, saying you never know whose life you might save.They've also learned to embrace every moment."I think it's one of those times where you really get a check point. You get a second lease and a second chance at life, so that's been an absolute blessing," Philip said.It's a blessing this family is taking to heart."Oh, he's here forever," Amy said.

      A Susquehanna Valley school leader is sharing his story of survival, and you'll only see it on News 8.

      Cornwall-Lebanon Superintendent Philip Domencic has been an educator for more than 30 years, but he may have learned his most important lesson back in January.

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      He and his family want others to know the lesson too.

      "It's tough to talk about. Each time I talk about it, I think it's going to get easier, but it doesn't get easier," Simon Domencic said.

      The 21-year-old couldn't hold back the tears.

      "I mean, I knew it was bad from the jump," he said.

      Even months after his dad, Philip, had a massive heart attack, it's hard to think about.

      "I thought my dad was dead. Even when I was doing it, the CPR, I thought he was already too far gone," Simon said.

      "I don't actually have a lot of memories of that day. It's kind of foggy, really," Philip said.

      Philip doesn't remember his son performing CPR for eight minutes or the seven times that first responders shocked him. He does know their actions saved his life.

      "That's just a blessing, and I just say by the grace of God that they were here, that everything happened," Philip said.

      He spent about a week in a hospital.

      His wife, Amy, documented the journey – a journey she said friends, family, and faith got them through.

      "I know that God was just holding me in the palm of His hand," she said.

      Philip is expected to fully recover. He goes to cardiac rehab at Penn State Health three days a week and has returned to work on a part-time basis.

      During a school board meeting, he recognized the men and women who arrived at their home that night.

      "Just thank you. Thank you for their responses. Thank you for being there. Thank you for their prayers. Just very grateful," he said.

      The family is also grateful for Simon, who learned CPR twice but never thought he'd use it.

      "It's pretty crazy. It's like, how do you thank someone for saving your husband's life. I hope he feels it. I'm so grateful, so grateful," Amy said.

      The Domencics know there are lessons to be learned from their experience.

      They'd like everyone to learn CPR, saying you never know whose life you might save.

      They've also learned to embrace every moment.

      "I think it's one of those times where you really get a check point. You get a second lease and a second chance at life, so that's been an absolute blessing," Philip said.

      It's a blessing this family is taking to heart.

      "Oh, he's here forever," Amy said.