The accident happened in Pittsburgh on Nov. 16.
Joseph Masterson, a lawyer who was just days from retiring at age 63, suffered cardiac arrest while driving, plowed into a guardrail, and lost consciousness. Other drivers stopped, broke the car window, and pulled him to safety.
A passing volunteer firefighter performed CPR until an ambulance arrived to take Masterson to UPMC Mercy hospital. He spent 18 days in the medical intensive care unit there, 14 of them on a ventilator.
He developed delirium, a common ICU condition, and needed antipsychotic drugs. Despite a feeding tube, he lost weight.
“We honestly weren’t confident that he would pull through,” said Ron Dedes, his brother-in-law. But he did.
Masterson was discharged Feb. 1 and returned home with near-constant family support.
Working diligently with several kinds of therapists, he has regained his ability to walk, despite lingering weakness, and to manage his personal care. His once-garbled speech has markedly improved.
He can make himself a sandwich. Now, “our biggest concern is his memory,” Dedes said.
KFF Health News published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 10 Apr 2026.
The item focuses on For Many Patients Leaving the ICU, the Struggle Has Only Just Begun.
Review the original article for the full source wording and details.