CHARLOTTE — Seventy-four-year-old Ronald Payne Sr. was tearing up the dance floor when the unexpected happened: his heart stopped at a club in north Charlotte.
And he said he wouldn’t be here today without the help of strangers.
Payne is the kind of person who loves to make people smile. When he’s not in his clown costume entertaining kids at parties, he’s dressed to the nine while doing what he enjoys the most: dancing.
“You lose yourself in the music. That’s why I died. I didn’t know I did because I was dancing. You lose yourself in the music,” said Payne.
On March 9, Payne went into cardiac arrest at the Nile Dance Club. Within minutes, strangers rushed to his aid, paramedics arrived, and Payne was brought back to life.
“They did not know me. They came in and they saved me,” Payne said.
[ ALSO READ: Burke County firefighter saved by crew after he collapsed while fighting fire ]
A few months later, Payne reunited with the two people he credited with restarting his heart, paramedic Allie Trull and EMT Nathan Cataldo.
Trull then gave him a very special pin that symbolized him as the 28th person she had saved in her career.
“I celebrate life every time I wake up because of this,” Trull explained.
Payne said he was grateful to everyone who helped him recover and allowed him to get back to doing what he loves.
“I will always go back to the club,” Payn expressed.
MEDIC said Payne’s story inspired them and is planning to hold CPR classes at the club so they can educate others on how to save a life.
VIDEO: Burke County firefighter saved by crew after he collapsed while fighting fire
This browser does not support the video element.