Washington hiker rescued from Mount Rainier dies in ER, is brought back to life

[Robert59]

Hiker’s heart had stopped for 45 minutes following helicopter rescue​

A hiker who was rescued after getting lost in a whiteout in a Washington state park “came back from the dead” at a hospital after his heart stopped for 45 minutes, in what doctors are calling an astonishing recovery.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/washington-hiker-rescue-mount-rainier-dies-brought-back-to-life

 

[Aunt Marg]

I've read about and seen shows on television where babies and young children drown in ice cold water, yet are brought back to life with no side-effects afterwards.

Astonishing it is.

 

[Sunny]

So, if all these cases involve very cold temperatures, maybe that's the answer? They weren't dead yet, only nearly so. Maybe it just takes longer to die from hypothermia?

 

[fuzzybuddy]

So, if all these cases involve very cold temperatures, maybe that's the answer? They weren't dead yet, only nearly so. Maybe it just takes longer to die from hypothermia?

All these instances of long periods without breathing involve extremely cold conditions. And "dead" depends on your definition of dead. The body is a complex organism that can exist, for a time, in an extremely altered state.

 

[fmdog44]

If he was not hooked up to the life support systems he would have died so was he dead? I say no. When you are dead you get no oxygen and you blood is not moving.

 

[OneEyedDiva]

Interesting case. I wonder if the doctors tried that method with anyone else before him.

 

[Fyrefox]

Lower life forms from tardigrades to African lungfish are able to survive extreme environmental conditions in a state approximating death, some for considerable periods of time. Mammalian diving reflex has been credited with the survival of oxygen-deprived human drowning victims. When the environment is normalized, some organisms can be almost miraculously restored to life. We share a kinship with all life, and as it's been remarked, life will find a way to adapt and survive if at all possible...