Chicago doctor stops and saves man's life while running marathon in Berlin
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is coming up in three days, but a doctor from the West Loop was among the thousands of runners who took part in a different marathon last week—in Berlin.
Dr. Eliza Pierko not only finished with her personal best time, but she also helped save a life along the way.
For Pierko, a sports medicine specialist at Loyola Medicine, running and helping others have always been two major passions.
She had suffered an ankle fracture just two years ago that involved surgery and months of rehab. Traveling to Germany to run the BMW Berlin Marathon last week was her comeback.
"So I already ran the Chicago one a couple of times, so I really wanted to do other majors—and Berlin was one of them," Pierko said.
Despite some hiccups at the start including arriving late to the race, Pierko stepped off at the Brandenburg Gate and soon managed to hit her stride.
"I felt great. I was flying," she said. "It was my race."
But then at the 21-mile mark, Pierko's focus was diverted.
"I saw a runner on the ground, and the person did not look like he just slipped and fell," said Pierko. "He was on his side and not moving."
Like a flip of a switch. Pierko jumped into action—putting her comeback on hold and tending to the stranger.
"In front of me, he started to turn blue, and stopped breathing," she said. "I flipped him on his back, and just had enough time to shout that he was in cardiac arrest, and I was going to start compressions."
With the help of bystanders, Pierko led the effort on what proved to be life-saving CPR for the man until paramedics arrived.
But like with anything there were obstacles, including a major language barrier.
"When the defibrillator arrived, it had all commands in German," Pierko said. "That was definitely a surprise."
With the man now stable, Pierko made the decision to finish the race. Her husband captured the moment when she runs over to him to tell him what had happened.
Despite the speed bump, Pierko not only finished the marathon, but beat her own personal record.
She hopes her experience resonates with others—inspiring them to step up.
"Be a good human being and help people in need," she said. "Stop by. If you don't know what to do, call for help."
The condition of the man Pierko saved remains unclear. While she was not able to connect with him after the race, she was able to find him on social media.
Pierko said the goal is to reunite with the man she saved in the near future.