O’FALLON, Ill. — At a recent O’Fallon City Council meeting, several members of the O’Fallon Police Department, paramedics, and telecommunicators received Lifesaving Awards and Chief’s Commendations for their roles in a critical incident involving a cardiac arrest on Aug. 17, 2024. The meeting was attended by Matthew Burke, the individual whose life was saved, along with his wife Tiffany and their family and friends.
Matthew Burke, who had been experiencing shortness of breath for several weeks, collapsed while driving his truck after leaving a yard sale at O’Fallon Township High School. As Burke drove along West Highway 50, he felt disoriented, describing the experience as everything going “blurry” and “in slow motion.” His truck eventually came to a stop on the curb, leaving his wife, Tiffany, desperate to reach him.
An off-duty O’Fallon police officer, Gavin Gonzalez, happened to be passing by and noticed Burke unconscious behind the wheel. Unable to open the locked doors, Gonzalez used a rock provided by a bystander to break the back window and extricate Burke from the vehicle. Upon assessing Burke, Gonzalez observed that he was “cold to the touch” and exhibiting signs of agonal breathing, which indicated a life-threatening situation.
According to the American Heart Association, the survival rate for individuals experiencing an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is approximately 10%, but immediate CPR can significantly improve those odds. Gonzalez began performing CPR on Burke as additional officers and an EMS crew arrived on the scene.
Tiffany Burke witnessed the unfolding events from the sidewalk, supported by bystanders who offered her water and prayers.
Officer Will Carter, one of the first responders, had previously worked with Tiffany Burke and felt a personal connection to the situation.
Once Burke was stabilized and placed in an ambulance, medical personnel utilized an automated external defibrillator (AED). After two shocks and continued chest compressions, Burke regained a pulse approximately nine minutes after first responders arrived.
Tiffany Burke received the news of her husband’s revival while waiting anxiously on the sidewalk. She expressed complete relief when informed that he had a heartbeat and was breathing.
The Burkes met with the responding officers at the O’Fallon Police Department 23 days after the incident, where Matthew Burke expressed gratitude for their quick actions.
In a gesture of appreciation, Burke plans to keep the rock that was used to break his window and hopes to have all the officers and paramedics sign it as a memento of his second chance at life.
