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'A Surreal Moment': Stranger Saves Runner's Life, Then Reunites Unexpectedly In The Hospital

September 12, 2025

Today's good news story comes from Shawnee Mission, Kansas.

When Kevin Rider laced up his running shoes on August 21 in Overland Park, he thought he was simply going out for another jog.

What he didn’t know was that his decision to stick to busier streets, rather than quiet trails, would be the reason he’s alive today.

Kevin Rider and Grady Lenihan / AdventHealth Shawnee Mission

That choice came from experience. In 2021, Rider suffered a cardiac arrest while home alone.

“Since then, I’ve always figured if I were to have another cardiac arrest, it’s better to be somewhere people can see you and help,” he said.

And that’s exactly what happened.

As Rider waited at an intersection, he suddenly collapsed—his heart thrown into a dangerous rhythm called ventricular fibrillation. Moments later, strangers rushed to his side, but one of them had more than good intentions—he had life-saving training.

Grady Lenihan, an ICU nurse, and his friend, also a nurse, happened to be nearby. They immediately jumped into action, performing CPR for nearly 10 minutes until paramedics arrived.

“My friend and I saw this man laying unresponsive on the sidewalk with some bystanders,” Lenihan said. “Not knowing how long he was down, I was pessimistic about a favorable outcome; but that didn’t stop us from doing all we can.”

Their efforts worked. Rider woke up in a hospital bed at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, sore from broken ribs and a fractured sternum.

“Feeling the pain in my ribs and sternum, I knew someone had performed CPR,” said Rider. “Whoever it was, they fought hard to keep me alive.”

Days later, a moment neither man will forget unfolded inside the hospital. As Rider was recovering in the Cardiac Care Unit, an ICU nurse floated over to help. When he walked in, Rider immediately recognized him: it was Lenihan—the very man who had saved his life on the sidewalk.

“It was a surreal and emotional moment seeing Kevin in the hospital conscious, standing up, talking, and meeting his kids,” Lenihan shared. “It will be something I will never forget.”

For Rider, the reunion was overwhelming. With his wife and seven children by his side, he expressed heartfelt gratitude and took a photo with the nurse who had given him a second chance.