A CARRIGALINE resident who feels he’s got his third chance at life after surviving a cardiac arrest has launched a new business with his partner to pay forward his good fortune.

Last January, Mark O’Keeffe was clinically dead for a full 15 minutes after having a cardiac arrest but thanks to the skills of his paramedic partner Helena Kiely who was with him at the time, local first responders and the national ambulance service, he has since made a full recovery.

However, a year on the psychotherapist admits to being a different person, with an entirely new outlook on life and a new-found gratitude.

That’s why with Helena, the couple have launched Echo Training Solutions designed to equip the public with practical skills including cardiac first responder training, and also provide them with the emotional tools needed to cope with crisis situations where they have to put them into use.

Mark’s near-death experience unfolded in the early hours of January 5th 2025.

Helena recalls how they weren’t meant to be seeing each other that evening, but after she had a bad day at work, he had called over.

‘I remember him waking up at 4.44am, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking these gasping breaths.

I thought he was having a panic attack or something so I went to give him a cuddle, but he never spoke and walked to the ensuite where he collapsed in slow motion,’ she said.

The former front line worker initially thought Mark, then aged 48, had fainted.

‘I turned him on his right hand side, squeezed his shoulder for a response and called his name but got nothing,’ she said, quickly realising he was having a cardiac arrest.

Helena, who is also an off-duty first responder with the National Ambulance Service, switched straight to professional mode, dialled 999 and ran downstairs to her car where she had her AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and other life-saving equipment.

‘I ran back upstairs and started to work on Mark. The training we get is so extensive, which I’m so grateful for, and I just kicked straight into that zone and didn’t really think about the fact that it was Mark on the ground before me,’ she said.

At this point Mark was clinically dead, he had no pulse. Helena proceeded to give him two shocks, at which stage Carrigaline First Responders arrived.

‘They assisted me with CPR, and I began to put an airway into Mark’s mouth and gave him rescue breaths,’ she said.

Helena continued to work on her partner until she handed him over in CUH, by which time his heart had started to beat again.

Mark spent five days in hospital where he had a defib and pace-maker fitted. The cause of his cardiac arrest was never established.

‘It’s only afterwards that the reality of what happened hit me,’ said Helena.

‘All the stars aligned for Mark that night because he should really have been in his own in his house in Midleton – that’s why I call him my miracle man.

‘It really made us open our eyes and caused us to reflect and think what could we give back, what could I do with my paramedic skills and what could Mark as a psychotherapist do. It’s a really different when this knocks on your door and now we want to help others should they find themselves in the same situation,’ she said.

‘In 2023, 68 per cent of our of hospital cardiac arrests occurred in the home, and when they take place in the home there’s less than an eight per cent chance of survival,’ said Helena.

‘We want to help create more success stories like Mark’s.’

Mark, who works in addiction services with the prison services, said he no longer sweats the small things in life.

The 49-year-old is in recovery for drink and drug addiction and sees this as his third shot at life.

‘I had absolutely no warning signs before the cardiac arrest, I live a healthy life and go to the gym every day,’ he told us. ‘I just remember waking up in CUH the next day and feeling absolutely terrified, I had no memory of a thing.

‘The first six to eight months after the attack were hard. I felt really vulnerable and was almost afraid to go too far from home in case it happened again. There’s no script for this and I felt a lot of trauma and returned to my therapist for a while after to help. 

‘As well as the emotional stuff, there was the physical aspect too, and it took a whole for my body to accept the defib and pace maker. For a time, I was waking up at night gasping for breath – it was like my mind hadn’t caught up with my body.

‘Now, I’m now just really grateful for the basic things in life – going for a walk, spending time with my family. I just focus on the here and now,’ he said adding that he’s had a phoenix tattooed on his hand, as a reminder of his good fortune.

The plan is to take Echo Training Solutions nationwide, teaching people how to recognise the signs of cardiac arrest, building CPR skills, growing confidence and learning emotional supports.

Packages are available for groups, schools, sports and social clubs.

‘We both feel humbled and excited to get into this area. It’s giving me another whole new lease of life,’ said Mark.

For more information contact: [email protected]