JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Rescuers say a lot of things went right the September night veteran Channel 4 meteorologist George Winterling's heart stopped.
First, his wife, Virginia, quickly found George collapsed on the floor of their Beauclerc home.
"Normally, she would have probably been in bed," George said. "If she'd been in bed ... it would have been all over."
When she found he had no pulse, she called 911, then her daughter and her husband, who live right behind the Winterlings. His son-in-law, who had learned cardiopulmonary resuscitation but never used it, gave George CPR until help arrived.
"We immediately ran inside the house and found George laying on the floor," said Jacksonville Fire-Rescue paramedic Matthew McAlister, who rides rescue out of Station 51. "We shocked him. After two minutes he had a heartbeat back with a strong pulse."
JFRD Lt. Michael Peery said that getting almost immediate CPR was the most important factor in saving George's life.
"Everything turned out great," Perry said. "All the pieces came together."
"His efforts, and Virginia's efforts, and the rescue ... they just resurrected the body and restored the life that was preserved inside," George told Channel 4's Mary Baer.
While his life was saved, George spent 11 days in a coma -- some of that time with his body temperature reduced to prevent any additional damage.
"My body was preserved -- like frozen in time ... where it just didn't begin to deteriorate and the muscles didn't just go away," George said. "I just turned my life over to them."
After open heart surgery and weeks of rehabilitation, he says his recovery was easier than after his first attack 12 years ago.
This time, George's heart gave out just two days after he was on the air talking with meteorologist John Gaughan about Hurricane Irene. He said he has no recollection of what happened.
"I don't remember the day at all," George said.
What he does remember is the outpouring of support he received from the community.
The paramedic first to respond to George's house said he had no idea at the time he was helping save the life of a community treasure.
"We're just very happy that it was George, because I think everybody in this city knows him," McAlister said. "We're kind of glad that he's still here."