This story originally appeared on wric.com

A Richmond man whose heart suddenly stopped while riding his bicycle, reunited with the people who helped save his life, including a bystander who saw the health scare unfold and called 911.

Sixty-six-year-old John Jenks remembers little about May 30, the day he went into sudden cardiac arrest.

“I ride a bike a lot, so I’m riding a bike and going up to the Nickel Bridge… and that’s it,” Jenks recalled. “I mean, apparently, I went down and he saw me, and the next thing I remember, I was waking up in the ICU,”

Mattias Clouse was walking along Pump House Drive when he saw Jenks fall from his bicycle and immediately called 911.

“He was turning blue, and I asked, ‘what can I do?’ And so she instructed me on how to do CPR, and that’s what I did,” Clouse said.

He said he had never performed CPR before and relied on the dispatcher to guide him.

“The only real experience I had was that episode from The Office, and that song, ‘Stayin’ Alive,’” he said. “[I was] just trying to keep rhythm, listening to the person on the phone and just trying to get it done,” he said.

Minutes later, crews with the Richmond Ambulance Authority arrived and continued lifesaving efforts before transporting Jenks to Chippenham Hospital. He underwent surgery and spent the following weeks recovering.

On Thursday, July 30, the RAA held a special ceremony to recognize the first responders, and Clouse for starting CPR.

“You gave John the most precious gift possible…time,” said Dr. Ashish Sethi, with the American Heart Association. “That time allowed the Richmond Ambulance Authority to arrive and continue that fight.”

According to the American Heart Association, about 90% of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital do not survive. The RAA said this life-saving rescue highlights the importance of CPR certification.

“The lesson here is simple. If you don’t have your CPR card, get it,” said Ryan Martinette, the chief operating officer of the Richmond Ambulance Authority. “It may mean the future for someone that you love.”

The RAA said Jenks is the first surviving patient to participate in its pinning ceremony.

“Thanks for showing us that CPR works, EMS saves lives, and when a community acts together, hope can become survival,” Dr. Sethi said.

Jenks has since returned to riding his bike and said he’s feeling better than ever. He and Clouse plan to take a beach trip together to continue celebrating their newfound friendship. Both men also say they plan to become CPR certified.