Sunday, March 2, 2008 was much like any other Sunday at Lifestyle Family Fitness’ Apex, NC club. Club Sales Manager Gary Chakoian and his staff were assisting members as usual, not knowing that their actions that day would not only change lives, but save them.

Lifestyle Family Fitness member Greg Lehner was on an elliptical cross trainer doing his routine cardio workout. About 20 minutes into his workout, Greg collapsed. He suffered from Sudden Cardiac Arrest or Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). Apex team members quickly took action. Club Operations Manager Jonathan Cox and Member Services Representative Emma Lanham called 911 and stayed on the line until the EMTs arrived.

Lifestyle Family Fitness team members Robin Forgione, Justin Hinton and Mike Barnes performed CPR on Greg, who had no pulse. Chris Forgione, a Group Fitness Instructor, promptly applied the Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) to Greg, and restored his heartbeat. Greg, the father of three young children, was rushed to the hospital.

The next evening, Greg’s wife, Cindy, visited the Apex club to thank the staff for aiding her husband. “Lifestyle Family Fitness saved my husband’s life,” she said. “The care they provided immediately was critical to his survival.”

Typically, only three percent of people who suffer Cardiac Sudden Death survive it, and only one percent recovers without neurological damage. Greg is lucky to be in that one percent. Cindy attributes this to the quick response of the Lifestyle Family Fitness staff and members.

Greg is expected to have a short recovery period and is anxious to start exercising again.

His wife remains very grateful to the staff at Apex. “It is truly a blessing that Greg was where he was that Sunday morning. When people ask - What gym do you belong to? I am proud to quickly say Lifestyle Family Fitness,” she said.

The Apex team’s heroics are due in part to their training. Lifestyle Family Fitness manages and executes a company-wide AED/CPR program, open to all employees.

“The time and effort that goes into managing and executing the AED/CPR Program is worth it when we hear about events like this one,” said Phil Benyola, Lifestyle Family Fitness Director of Training and Development. “In this particular case, the courageous team members involved attended one of our Team Development Certification Classes held just last month at the Apex Club.”

This year alone, Lifestyle has certified nearly 200 employees, and nearly four times that amount since the inception of the program one year ago making the fitness centers safer for members & employees.