The team at Warlock Athletics in New York saved a life on Aug. 12.
At the end of a warm-up run for a workout in honor of Lazar Đukić, who died while competing in the 2024 CrossFit Games, a Warlock client went into cardiac arrest.
A coach called 911, while another sprinted for the AED. A member who is a cardiac physician’s assistant and another who is a nurse started CPR within 20 seconds. The AED was on the fallen member within 60 seconds, and a shock revived him within two minutes.
Emergency responders showed up quickly and rushed the member to the hospital for more treatment.
Warlock co-owner Erik Zeyher had received back-to-back emergency calls while at home and rushed to the gym to find that his team had responded swiftly and heroically, so he went to the hospital to meet with the member’s family. (Erik explains why he had the time to do this here.)
At the hospital, the client’s wife said this:
“If this had happened anywhere else, he would be dead.”
The client had literally gone down within 60 feet of an AED, surrounded by people who were prepared to use it.
It’s a great story that comes when the CrossFit community is hurting, and I’m proud to share it.
And it gets better.
Pay It Forward
I’ve often said I want gym owners to be wealthy because they’re the most generous people on Earth. Instead of sitting on their riches, they’ll use their wealth to improve their communities.
Here’s the proof: Erik and Warlock Athletics didn’t initially have the funds to buy an AED when they opened. But a member donated $500 and they picked one up within 18 months of opening, even though they weren’t required by law to have an AED.
Now, Erik and his partner have solidified their business and have the funds to buy an AED for a gym that doesn’t have one.
“Because we’re in such a good position, we also want to pay it forward and buy another AED for a gym that’s either starting out or can’t afford it,” Erik said.
He added: “Financially, we wouldn’t be able to be in the position that we’re in if we weren’t mentored by (Two-Brain).”
And that’s why I want gym owners to run successful, profitable businesses.
Lessons and Tips
Erik joined Mike Warkentin on “Run a Profitable Gym” to talk about the incident and offer tips for other gym owners.
“We had the protocol for exactly what goes on,” Erik said, referring to a cardiac incident. “What we didn’t prepare for was how to respond to it afterwards.”
To help you prepare to be at your best in a worst-case scenario, I’ve collected Erik’s complete plan for you. He also said you can contact him through Instagram if you have questions.
1. Check local laws to determine if your gym must have an AED. (U.S. gym owners: this site has info on which states have AED requirements.) Check in with your insurer, as well. The best plan: Get an AED even if you aren’t required to have one. If you have one, ensure you adhere to the maintenance checklist so the batteries and pads are ready for use.
2. Ensure staff members have current CPR/AED credentials. If you practice your emergency plan at intervals, ensure new staff members who join before the next “fire drill” understand exactly what to do.
3. Overtrain your staff “until they borderline hate you,” Erik said. Create an emergency action plan and full SOP, and incorporate drills at intervals so staff members know exactly what to do if something happens. A key element that’s not always in emergency plans: Assign a staff member to check the attendance log so you know exactly who was in the building. That will come in handy when the initial shock passes (see below).
4. Include some oft-omitted details in your plan: Will the class and other training groups/PT sessions continue after an incident? Will the people in the building remain inside as staff and first responders work or will you move them outside or to another room? Who will go to the hospital? Who will coach if classes continue?
5. Make sure you have a detailed post-event plan. Many gym owners will assume that the situation is resolved when the ambulance leaves, but Erik learned that true fitness professionals must go further.
6. Plan to communicate with your community: Ensure confidentiality but get way out front of the situation to shut down the rumor mill. (If you need help with this, use the CALM Model.)
7. Include a staff debriefing in your post-event plan. Some team members will need assistance working through stress, and you might consider bringing in an expert to help. This debriefing is not about reviewing performance (you can do that later, too) but about ensuring your team members are OK. (Erik reported that even some of his trained pros were rattled by the heart attack.)
8. Include a post-event plan for your members—those who witnessed the event and those who did not but were still affected. Erik recommends having a debriefing for members within 36 hours. If you had a staff member get the attendance log when the incident occured, you can personally reach out to the people who were in the building first to care for them.
9. Personally thank everyone who responded in a time of great need. How? Few things take the place of a hug or handshake and a heartfelt “thank you for being a hero.”
10. When you’re clear of the incident and its aftermath, review your team’s response and make improvements to your plan if needed. Then keep drilling.
I’ll add one more:
11. Make sure you’re OK, too. Leaders often have to remain stoic in the face of chaos, so take time to deal with your own emotions and stress when the urgent duties are complete. Don’t hesitate to talk to a professional.
Review Your Plan!
I’m incredibly proud of Erik and the Warlock Athletics community.
I hope this story inspires you to review, upgrade and practice your emergency plan today.
You never know when you’ll need it.
