A Canadian veteran feared PTSD would paralyze him in crisis. But when a neighbour collapsed, instinct took over—and helped save a life.
Canadian Veteran with PTSD Helps Save Neighbour’s Life
When a heart attack struck his neighbour Rod on a quiet morning, Matthew Heneghan—a Canadian Armed Forces veteran living with PTSD—feared his past trauma might stop him from responding. Instead, it propelled him into action, leading to a successful resuscitation and a moment of quiet triumph in his own healing journey.
Heneghan, who served as a medic in the Canadian military and later worked as a civilian paramedic, was forced to leave front-line care after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2017. Though he’d often questioned his ability to function under pressure again, the emergency brought out the responder within him.
The Emergency Unfolds at Home
The incident occurred in the southeast Edmonton neighbourhood where Heneghan and his partner, Sheena, live. On what began as a peaceful morning, Rod—Heneghan’s neighbour—collapsed suddenly in his backyard.
“I always feared that if a moment like this came again, I’d freeze,” Heneghan shared. But he didn’t. He dropped to his knees and began CPR, aided by fellow neighbour Owen and Owen’s wife Carissa, who coordinated the 911 call.
Together, the small group used an automated external defibrillator (AED) stored nearby. One shock was delivered—and moments later, Rod’s pulse returned. It was a rare and vital outcome known in emergency care as ROSC, or return of spontaneous circulation.
A Battle Within the Rescuer
Though Rod survived, the rescue triggered an intense emotional response in Heneghan. Memories of past trauma surged back—the scent of cold air, the grit of gravel, the chaos of roadside emergencies.
His partner, Sheena, gently grounded him using the tools learned from years of therapy. “Just as Rod needed a pulse to live, I needed Sheena to survive it all,” Heneghan later wrote. The experience was a reminder that PTSD doesn’t vanish, but it doesn’t have to paralyze either. “PTSD has a way of making you doubt yourself,” he said. “But in that moment, instinct and training carried me.”
The Return to Morning Peace
Rod spent more than a week in hospital before returning home. On the ninth day, Sheena woke Heneghan with the news: Rod was back. Heneghan ran outside to see the familiar sight—Rod and his wife, Colleen, sipping tea in their backyard chairs.
“Morning, Rod,” he called.
“Hey, Matthew,” Rod replied.
That quiet exchange, in the warm glow of the morning sun, was a profound validation—not only of Rod’s survival, but of Heneghan’s resilience.
A Story of Hope, Healing, and Community
While the story began with medical urgency, it ends as a tribute to community, recovery, and the unbreakable threads between neighbours. It also underlines the importance of AED access in residential areas and the quiet strength of veterans managing PTSD in daily life.
Heneghan, now an author and mental health advocate, says the experience affirmed his journey—and the belief that healing doesn’t mean forgetting who you once were. It means being ready when life calls you to act.
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