Luca, saved from cardiac arrest

My name is Luca, I am 42 years old and I live with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (MYBPC3 gene variant). I was diagnosed when I was 24, during a sports visit. From that moment on, my life changed. I consulted numerous cardiologists, hoping to be able to play football again, but the answer was always the same: no competitive activity. However, no one ever forbade me from playing sports at all, so I continued to practice them as an amateur with friends: five-a-side football, padel, gym.

Everything changed on July 10, 2023.
That day it was unbearably hot, yet I decided to play a game of soccer with friends. Then, darkness. I had a cardiac arrest on the field. If I'm still here today it's thanks to a boy who, promptly, performed cardiac massage and used the defibrillator. Then the ambulance, intubation, eight days of pharmacological coma. When I woke up, I couldn't believe it: I was alive, with no neurological damage. A miracle.

After the episode, I was implanted with a subcutaneous defibrillator. By September 1, 2023, I was back at work, trying to get my life back.

But with one big question: what can I do now?
Six months after the arrest, a cardiologist told me that I could resume a mild physical activity: slow running, swimming, cycling. In moderation, without exaggerating. Twelve months later, a second cardiologist, recommended by my GP, told me the opposite: no sports, just walking.

The verdict left me feeling unsettled.
Sports have always been my outlet. When I received the diagnosis at 24, it was a shock, but I have always tried to stay active. Now, the idea of ​​not being able to play sports scares me. I know I am lucky to still be here, but I am afraid of getting depressed. I do not want to risk my life, but I do not want to give up everything either. Because it is not enough to protect the heart, you also have to take care of the head.

Today I have a new goal: to tell my story to make people understand how important it is to know what to do in an emergency. This is why I collaborate with the Morosini Association, to raise awareness about the importance of first aid and the use of a defibrillator. Pietro saved me because he knew what to do. If my experience can help even just one person to save another, then this second chance will have really made sense.

Aicarm is convinced of the timely importance of Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and consequently organizes courses for patients and relatives of patients, with the aim of creating a widespread culture of resuscitation. In September the courses periodically organized by Aicarm return, consult our website at the page Events and also sign up for the newsletter so you are always informed about Aicarm courses and initiatives.