In the Right Place at the Right Time: A Team of Heroes Saved a Life

It was supposed to be just another night of pushing limits and cheering each other on.

But for Peter Soby, it became the night he quite literally got a second chance at life.

Peter was working out side-by-side with Lydia Meece, a physician at the Omaha VA Medical Center. The workout was grueling—burpees, lunges, and heavy lifts. 

“I remember the clock said eight minutes. I still had seven minutes to go,” Peter recalls. He finished the workout, sat on the ground to catch his breath, exchanged a few high-fives—and then everything went black.

The next moments were chaos—but also, remarkably, orderly. A fellow athlete noticed Peter gasping and convulsing. He rushed over, called for help, and the gym’s community sprang into action.

Among those present were an ER doctor, an ER nurse, a former Army medic, a medical equipment specialist, and Dr. Meece. Together, they would form an impromptu emergency response team that even seasoned professionals would later say operated better than some ERs.

CPR was started immediately, even though everyone had just finished an exhausting workout. Dr. Meece retrieved the gym’s AED, carefully followed the prompts, and delivered the critical shocks Peter’s heart needed. CPR continued. All told, Peter was down for about six minutes.

“They said it was like watching an episode of ER,” Peter said later. “Everyone just clicked into their professional mode. They weren’t CrossFitters anymore. They were lifesavers.”

Peter’s heart started beating again before the paramedics even arrived.

In the ambulance, one of the medics said simply, “You’ve got great friends. They just saved your life.”

Peter underwent triple bypass surgery a week later for what’s commonly known as the “widow-maker” heart attack. Statistically, only 12% of people survive such an event when it strikes outside of a hospital setting. 

“I credit the CPR and the AED. And the fact that these amazing people didn’t hesitate,” Peter said. “Everything clicked into place because they were ready.”

Dr. Meece reflected on how vital continuous training is: “As an attending physician, I don’t always personally run codes anymore, but because of the training at VA, I had practiced these skills just a few months before. It made all the difference. I wasn’t just relying on old knowledge — I had muscle memory.” 

She added that when the VA invests in training, the entire community benefits—and Peter’s story is living proof.

Peter, now in cardiac rehab, is focusing on recovery and managing the mental challenges of surviving such a close brush with death. 

But more than anything, Peter carries a profound sense of gratitude—not only for the team that saved him that night, but also for the broader community of health professionals who dedicate their lives, often without recognition, to training, preparing, and responding when it matters most.

“Medicine doesn’t get enough credit,” Peter said. “For them, saving lives is just part of the job. But to people like me, it’s everything.”

At a small ceremony, VA Nebraska-Western Iowa presented Dr. Meece with an ICARE Award, recognizing her integrity, professionalism, and skill.

His sister, Anne, who works in VA’s Care in the Community program, sent a heartfelt letter thanking Dr. Meece and the others for their “swift action, skill, and compassion” that kept her brother alive.

 “There are truly no words or gifts that could express our gratitude. Because of you, my brother is still here.”