When Regina Allemand was approached by the American Heart Association about leading a team during its upcoming Woman of Impact campaign, she wasn’t sure her schedule would allow her to say yes.
But once she learned the focus of this year’s campaign, Allemand was all aboard.
“They told me that this year’s is CPR – and OK, I’m in,” Allemand said. “There was no question at that point, I’m doing it.”
Promoting CPR awareness is something Allemand believes she is meant to do and is here to do. Her husband Norbert’s knowledge of CPR ultimately saved her life, and her story is what inspired the AHA to reach out and nominate her as one of 10 Women of Impact in the New Orleans-area.
Each year, the AHA selects a group of individuals from communities across the country to participate in a nine-week competition. Allemand will lead an “Impact Team” to educate the community about CPR as well as the warning signs of heart disease and stroke.
Ultimately, the hope is to inspire others to take action and save lives. Each team will raise funds for the AHA cause. The nominee that raises the most funds and drives the greatest local impact will be named the Local Woman of Impact winner.
“It’s simple to do, but people just don’t know how. They’re not familiar (with CPR) and they freeze,” said Allemand. “If people knew how easy it is to learn, maybe they’ll be more apt to do that and maybe, ultimately, they save a life.”
Allemand said she shares her personal story of survival to open eyes and spread awareness of how far a little knowledge can go.
In 2021, Allemand was at her mother’s home when she called her husband. During the call, she let him know she wasn’t feeling well.
“I said, ‘I feel really bad … really weird. Something strange is going on,’” Allemand recalled.
“He was teasing me. He said OK, I’m leaving Walmart now – meet me in the driveway and I’ll take you to the hospital. The phone went dead. He was just kidding me and he thought I was just mad (and hung up).”
Allemand had gone into cardiac arrest. When Norbert arrived, the first thing he saw was Allemand’s feet. She was laying on the ground with her eyes open. He immediately called 911, then began administering CPR.
“He was working for OxyChem and they require the employees on the Emergency Response Team to attend and certify CPR training each year,” Allemand said. “Even if it were your day off, when the training was scheduled, you had to attend. He wasn’t always happy about that, but after this he said he’d never complain about having had to do that again. He was glad he had that skill.
“If he hadn’t known CPR, I would not have survived.”
When paramedics arrived, Allemand had a very slight pulse.
“In the ambulance, I coded again,” Allemand said. “They had to bring me back.”
At the hospital, Allemand was put on life support. She remained on it for a day and a half.
Somehow, she survived.
“It was a miracle. Most of the time in that situation, the person doesn’t survive,” Allemand said. “And if they do, often there’s permanent damage.”
In this case, the only lasting effect was Allemand lost about three weeks worth of her memory.
Allemand said the cause was deemed a reaction of a medication she was taking for A-fib combined with a vaccine she was given.
She said it was a surreal time.
“I still feel very strange about it,” Allemand said. “People saw me like I’d died, and now I’m back. I felt like I’d never left, but people are crying and hugging me … it was a very strange and unusual time.”
Following that near-death experience, Allemand said she struggled with the question of the meaning of her survival.
Allemand said she soon came across a quote that shifted her focus.
“God is still writing your story. Quit trying to steal the pen! Trust the Author.”
She stopped trying to force things and let God lead the way.
“It changed my life,” Allemand said.
Allemand will begin the campaign officially on Feb. 7. She is planning several ways to promote the cause and raise funds for the cause, including a Super Bowl pool, an event in collaboration with the Hahnville High School Hi-Steppers, and another collaboration with local businesses.
She’s also very excited for Super Bowl weekend, as she’s been invited to share her story with NFL media as part of the league’s push to spread CPR awareness. That push was brought on by the Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin, who famously went into cardiac arrest following a hit he absorbed during a Monday Night Football game between the Bills and Bengals in January of 2022.
Things seemed bleak, but CPR saved Hamlin’s life that night, as it did for Allemand.
“My husband and I were watching the game when it happened,” Allemand recalled. “He looked at me and said, ‘This is what happened to you.’ I cried all night long. I could see how it affected everyone around him and … that was very emotional, to observe everyone doing that.
“He’s made a major impact on me. That he’s been such a voice to say, we need to get this word out, we need people to understand how learning this skill can save a life.”
