Victoria Thomas, a 41‑year‑old accountant and fitness enthusiast from Gloucester, UK, described the chilling out‑of‑body experience she had after collapsing during a routine boot camp class, where her heart stopped for 17 minutes before paramedics revived her as UNILAD reported. Despite living what she called “a healthy lifestyle,” she was blindsided by sudden cardiac arrest that occurred without warning. “It was just like a switch being turned off,” she said, recounting the moment she lost consciousness mid‑workout.
Thomas explained that in those terrifying moments, she had the uncanny sensation of floating above her body, watching herself lying motionless on the gym floor as instructors screamed for help and dialed emergency services. “There was no light, no heavenly voice. I just felt like I was hovering near the roof, looking down at myself,” she recalled. This vivid memory has left doctors intrigued, as out-of-body experiences are frequently reported during near-death events according to neurological studies.
“I could see them performing CPR on me, but I wasn’t in my body. It was terrifying.”
Emergency responders performed relentless CPR, using a defibrillator to shock her heart multiple times until a pulse returned. “They never gave up on me,” Victoria said, crediting paramedics for saving her life. Her family later learned that less than 10% of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive when the heart stops for more than 10 minutes as statistics from the British Heart Foundation show.
After the event, doctors diagnosed Victoria with Danon disease, a rare genetic disorder that weakens the heart and muscles. She had never heard of the condition before, but genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis—a revelation that explained why, despite being fit and active, her heart had suddenly failed as outlined by the National Organization for Rare Disorders. In 2021, while pregnant, she experienced additional cardiac arrests, prompting an emergency C-section at just 24 weeks to save both her life and her baby’s.
Her son, Tommy, was born healthy despite the traumatic circumstances, a miracle Victoria credits to her medical team and relentless determination. “I just wanted to live for him,” she told reporters. Even after giving birth, her defibrillator activated multiple times, including one frightening episode while she was holding Tommy in her arms as reported by The Mirror.
“They put a defibrillator in my chest—and it’s saved me more than once.”
By 2022, her heart was functioning at just 11% capacity, forcing doctors to fast-track her for a transplant. In April 2023, she received a donor heart at Royal Papworth Hospital, one of the UK’s leading transplant centers. “I woke up crying. I knew I’d been given another chance,” she said. Today, she’s training to compete in the World Transplant Games in Germany, aiming to show that survival can turn into strength as Cambridge News highlighted.
Victoria’s account of floating outside her body has sparked discussions about near-death phenomena. While scientists attribute such sensations to the brain’s response to oxygen loss, her story resonates with thousands online. Articles about her experience have been widely shared, with Reddit threads dissecting what she described and TikTok videos racking up millions of views as the Daily Star observed.
Medical experts have weighed in as well. Cardiologist Dr. Emily Lawrence called the case “a powerful reminder that cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, even those who seem perfectly healthy,” and stressed the importance of CPR training for the general public as Red Cross guidance states. Victoria now campaigns for heart health awareness and organ donation, sharing her journey at local schools and hospitals.
“It wasn’t peaceful. It was raw and frightening, but it gave me a new appreciation for life.”
Victoria admits her life has changed in every way since the ordeal. She follows a strict regimen of medication, physiotherapy, and mental health support, but refuses to let fear dictate her future. “I’m here, I’m alive, and I’m stronger than I ever thought possible,” she said. She also credits her son, now thriving, as her biggest inspiration to keep pushing forward as noted in her own interviews.
Her story is a reminder of how quickly life can change. One moment she was lifting weights; the next, she was staring down at her own body. And yet, through medical skill and sheer luck, she’s alive to tell her tale—and inspire others with the extraordinary will to survive.
