Young Detroit Mother Thanks DFD First Responders, Henry Ford Health Care Team at Emotional ‘Second Birthday’

Celest Cole died on Feb. 7, 2024, at the young age of 33.

But after a few harrowing moments, and because of crucial actions from a team of trained professionals, she was brought back to life.

And on Feb. 7, 2025, a humble and healthy mother of two took the chance to address those who helped her beat the odds, celebrating her “second birthday” with a firehouse bash.

“I just want to thank every single last one of y’all for not giving up on me and coming to my rescue,” an emotional Cole told her assembled heroes, including physicians from Henry Ford Health. “I’m so thankful to be here.”

Cole, now 34, had a long list of guests at the celebration to thank in person at Detroit Fire Department’s Squad 4 on the west side.

Present were her family members, including her mother Elizabeth, who sprang into action by noticing she was unresponsive, called 9-1-1, and performed initial chest compressions.

There was Cole’s son, Liam, who – two weeks shy of his 5th birthday – helped his grandmother get his mother on to the floor into a life-saving position. 

Also, there were members of the DFD first responder team that relieved Elizabeth and took over, performing life-saving measures while Cole’s pulse came and went.

Cole was transported to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. She left the hospital just days later with an automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator implanted in her chest and a new life ahead.

Members of the Henry Ford Health team were also on hand for the celebration.

“She came to our emergency department very ill but still alive,” said emergency medicine specialist Dr. Matthew Ball, who spoke for the Detroit care team on duty that day.

Dr. Ball praised the DFD first responders and noted the importance of learning CPR.

“Everyone in this room, and everyone seeing this, if you are not comfortable in your ability to recognize cardiac arrest and perform CPR, you really need to find a class to learn,” Dr. Ball said. “You absolutely could save a life.”

Cole was later diagnosed with congenital long QT syndrome, said Henry Ford Health cardiologist Dr. Amjad Farha, a condition that affects 1 out of 2,000 people. Dr. Farha was involved in Cole’s initial care and said he was overjoyed to be part of the celebration.

“It’s really a great memory to see somebody who was able to survive an out-of-hospital arrest and nice to celebrate her second birthday,” Dr. Farha said. “She has a second chance of life.”

While Cole’s condition was an anomaly, the dire circumstances were more common, as more than 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes, according to the American Heart Association.

However, only about 40% of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive the immediate help they need before professional help arrives, the AHA states.

Cole’s mother was not trained in CPR but followed directions from an emergency dispatcher to begin chest compressions on her daughter.

Thankfully, Cole was in Detroit when it happened, as fire chief David Nelson noted that every new DFD hire since 2021 is trained as a firefighter while also earning an EMT license.

“This means that when a fire truck shows up for your medical help, we are trained to help you,” Nelson said of Detroit, the nation’s largest city to be designated as a HEARTSafe Community by the Citizen CPR Foundation.

A prepared community meant all the difference for Cole.

“I’m so thankful to still be here, that I was one of the chosen ones that went through cardiac arrest and still be able to stand and talk about it because I know that it’s not something that everybody lives through,” said Cole, flanked by her son, Liam, and daughter, also named Elizabeth, now 3.

“Now I’m just trying to live life. Trying to stay as peaceful as I can,” she added. “Get them in school and just go from here. It’s only up from here now, now that I’m still here.”

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MEDIA CONTACT: mediarelations@hfhs.org