Off-Duty Firefighter's Intervention Gives Family a Second Chance

Published on October 19, 2026

Joanne Nordstrom had just finished a yoga class and was walking back to her car when she collapsed. Two blood clots blocked an artery, cutting off her blood supply, sending the 67-year-old woman into cardiac arrest.

Within seconds, Ms. Nordstrom became unconscious, her breathing slowed, then stopped altogether.

People rushed to her side, including James Purrazzo.

By the time Purrazzo, a Denver firefighter, reached Ms. Nordstrom, there were no signs of life.

Purrazzo, who was off duty on November 21, 2025, had just finished his own workout when he noticed an unusual amount of activity, including people running through the parking lot. When he learned someone had stopped breathing, Purrazzo ran to help.

Purrazzo, a technician assigned to Truck 9 with the Denver Fire Department, immediately told a bystander to start CPR while he prepared an automated external defibrillator.

Within seconds, the AED recommended a shock. Purrazzo administered it and immediately took over chest compressions. Minutes later, the AED recommended another shock. He delivered it again and resumed CPR, working to keep blood circulating through Ms. Nordstrom's body.

Firefighters from South Metro Fire Rescue arrived and took over her care. According to Nordstrom's brother, Bob Stinauer, she received three AED shocks during the life-threatening emergency. Purrazzo continued helping as on-duty first responders prepared Nordstrom to be taken to the hospital.

Her family estimates that Nordstrom's pulse had stopped for about 15 to 20 minutes, giving her a critical prognosis.

By the time the ambulance left the gym parking lot, Nordstrom had regained a pulse and was slowly starting to breathe on her own.

Stinauer, who lives in Illinois, later contacted the Denver Fire Department to share what happened and to recognize Purrazzo. He described Purrazzo's actions as heroic and wanted the Denver Fire Department to understand how profoundly the intervention and care had affected their family.

Purrazzo has spent 16 years as a firefighter, including a decade with the Chicago Fire Department before joining the Denver Fire Department six years ago. His career has placed him alongside countless people experiencing some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Rarely do firefighters get to hear the outcome of the patients they help - let alone meet people during their recovery.

During a ceremony to recognize Purrazzo on October 19, 2026, Denver Fire Captain Dave Cartwright reflected on Purrazzo's character and his instinct to help others.

"He would be the first to tell you he was simply doing what needed to be done," Captain Cartwright said.

Captain Cartwright described helping others as something deeply ingrained in Purrazzo, a quality that has defined his career and was evident in the moments that helped save Ms. Nordstrom's life.

The ceremony brought together Purrazzo and the family whose lives were forever changed by his actions.

For Ms. Nordstrom's family, the events of that November morning remain a reminder of how quickly life can change and how much can depend on the willingness of someone nearby to help.

Purrazzo happened to be in the right place, with the experience to recognize what needed to be done, and the determination and training to do it. His actions helped give Ms. Nordstrom a future, something they feared might be lost that morning had he not been there.

Ms. Nordstrom's doctors remain encouraged about her recovery. She is alive today because, in the moment when her heart stopped, an off-duty firefighter used his training to rewrite what could have been the final moments of her life.

• Safety