This B.C. man flatlined en route to hospital. Paramedics saved his life thanks to new cardiac training

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeHealthLocal HealthNewsLocal News This B.C. man flatlined en route to hospital. Paramedics saved his life thanks to new cardiac training A new program in B.C. trains advanced paramedics in how to treat heart attack patients with thrombolysis and clot-dissolving medication Author of the article: By Tiffany Crawford Published Sep 16, 2026 Last updated 33 minutes ago 4 minute read Join the conversation B.C. paramedic Megan Rorie and cardiac patient Ron Olynyk PHOTO BY BUNCH OF CARROTS PRODUCTIONS Article content Retired accountant Ron Olynyk was just about to hit the third hole at Eaglepoint golf course in Kamloops five years ago when he suddenly felt like he couldn’t catch his breath. Article content “I had a bit of pain in my chest, but I didn’t think it was anything serious,” recalled Olynyk, 79. Article content Article content By the fourth hole, he knew something was wrong. Still, he teed off, and he and his brother putted to finish. Article content Article content “I made the putt and won the hole. That’s important,” said the jovial Olynyk. Article content Sunrise Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content Then Olynyk gasped for air, clutched his chest and collapsed, as his brother frantically called 911. Article content Later, his heart stopped in the ambulance. Article content With a half-hour drive to go before they reached the emergency room, Olynyk’s chances of survival were low. For every 30-minute delay in treatment, the risk of death by heart attack increases by 10 per cent, according to Doctors of B.C. Article content Luckily for Olynyk, riding in the ambulance that day was advanced paramedic Megan Rorie. She was taking part in a pilot program that trained advanced paramedics to treat heart attack patients with clot-dissolving drugs. The program was so successful it has now expanded across the province. Article content Under the program, paramedics perform an electrocardiogram. The results are sent to a hospital and an emergency room physician can decide which medication to use en route, saving precious minutes. Article content Paramedics restarted Olynyk’s heart with a defibrillator, but it was clear that wasn’t enough to save…