August 14, 2025 • 8 mins
Listen live on the FIVEAA Player.
Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Subscribe on YouTube
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, coming up now, a story of courage, determination and
a second chance at life. Melissa Hartman is a mum
of two from Christy Darn's who, at just thirty one,
quite literally died. She suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, flatline
for twenty minutes and survived against all the odds, despite
less than a one percent chance of making it. She's
(00:21):
now the MC of Brain Injury Awareness Week, the big
launch this Monday at the ADELAID Convention Setenter, and she
joins us now to share a story. Melissa, Welcome, Thanks
for your time today.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Thank you so much. Graham.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Now, this is a remarkable story. Take us through it.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Well, everything up and to a reason. I was getting
ready to go on a blind date and I was
sitting at home at about forty minutes before I had
to start leaving to arrive, and my friend popped over
and I just had a coughing fit at the doorway,
letting him in the house, and I ran to my
room to get a bottle of water and just completely laps.
(01:00):
So he's heard the thud, come running in and found
me unconscious on the ground. I had no pulse, I'd
stopped breathing, so he did CPR, rung triple zero and
continue doing CPR until the paramedics arrived.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Wow, scary stuff. You've spoken about experiencing the other side.
Tell us about it.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yes, Yeah, Like I saw my kids to the left
of me, a beautiful stream with vivid, like bright colors,
and then it was sort of like, oh, what do
I do? Like I knew that I'd be okay and
that my children'd be okay, but I could see them
sort of floating there, and it was sort of like
a whirlwind of like what do I do? Like I
(01:41):
know they'll be okay, but I sort of, you know,
I'm not ready yet. I still have a lot more
to do in life. I need to be back with them.
And then everything sort of flashed white and like my
first vivid memory sort of back here was laying in hospital.
I could tell that I was in hospital, but I didn't, like,
I didn't have that much pain or anything in my body,
just my ribs and my sternum. And then yeah, I
(02:04):
sort of mumbled out to my dad and he got
the nurses in to explain what had happened. And I've
been in a coma for a week and I've since
been transferred out of ICU, and when I woke up,
I will from my first memory I was in the
cardiac word has it.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Left you with any lasting effects?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Loss of memory because I was flat for so long
before they were able to restart my heart. I've got
a hypoxic brain injury, which means that there was not
enough oxygenated blood going to my brain, so that's caused
memory loss. I've got brain damage to the frontal lobe,
so I have trouble with concentration memory now more than ever.
(02:47):
I notice I'll be able to sort of remember a face,
but I've lost the name. I wouldn't know who it is,
but I know that I remember their face.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
It sounds like you made considering all all of the
lifelong impacts, you've made an incredible recovery, and you know
you've taken on life front on.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yes, it's definitely given me a whole new sense of purpose.
Like I realize, you know, I don't don't. I didn't
have any effects that anything was going to lead to
a sudden cardiac arrest. You know, I wasn't unhealthy, but
I certainly could have been a bit healthier in my life,
but nothing that would have would have explained a sudden
(03:29):
cardiac arrest, and just how short life can life can end?
So I live a whole lot like I've got more
purpose now with my life, when I live happier and
a lot more determined in life these days.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
So how did you feel when they told you, you know,
you survived against the odds, you've virtually had a one
percent chance of survival.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I could not believe it. It didn't sound like real,
Like I was so young or thirty one at the time,
and yeah, now it was like, you know, you might
not walk again, you might not be able to talk properly.
In the early stages, we were talking about me needing
around the clock care basically having someone showering me, doing
all personal care and stuff, as well as helping me
(04:10):
look after my children. And I thought, no, I'm a
single mum, Like I've looked after my children on my own,
I'll be looking after them again. And yeah, it was
just the sort of ball out of the gates like, no,
I'll show you what I can do, and.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Off I went, that's remarkable. So what part did your
children play in your recovery?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Everything? I had to do it for them, like everyone
says that they'll die for their kids. But it was
the thing of Okay, well I've already died. Now I
need to live for my children, and that's the most
important thing I want them to see that, you know,
like the song I've been knocked down, but I've gotten
up again, and I don't let anything stop me. Now,
(04:51):
Mind over matter.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Yeah, that's great. Now you're m seeing the launch of
Brain Injury Awareness Week. What messages do you hope to
get across the.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Importance of learning CPR.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
That.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Obviously, my brain injury was from my cardiac arrest, so
it's a secondary to the cardiac arrest. I've been so
grateful to receive the support from Varnercare and Brain Injury
SA and that has helped tremendously in how I've become
so strong so quickly today, And just to show others
(05:24):
in the audience and for those watching online as well,
that put your mind to it and work your hardest.
Anything's possible.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Now I see here that August twenty six is a
very special day for you. Is it actually your birthday?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
No, it's the date that I had the sudden cardiac arress. Totally,
I say it's my fourth birthday, So yeah, it's coming
up this year. It's basically how I celebrate the day
in a positive light because it was such a negative
day on my family's lives. I wasn't expected to live
at all. The fact that I made it over forty
(06:00):
eight hours was a miracle, but then to still be
here today, coming up four years later. So I celebrated
as though it's a birthday because I live completely differently
now to how I did previously.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Many people see disability as something that needs to be visible.
How do you help redefine that with your story?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
With my story just sort of pushing myself as well.
I got told what I couldn't do so many times
when I was recovering, and it was just, you know,
everyone's waiting to see me collapse and crumble. I want
to show them that, you know, I'm still standing on
my own two feet, I'm walking, I'm talking. I'm able
to do everything that I was told I couldn't do.
(06:43):
I do struggle daily, but I keep on striving and
keep pushing forward.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Melissa, it's a great story. It's a source of inspiration
not only for people who going through hardship, but for
all of us that you know, a new attack, a
brand every day is a brand new day, and exactly
no matter what you set back is make the most
of it.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Yes, as negative as something can be, you'll always be
able to find a positive somewhere.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Melissa, thank you so much for your time today.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Thank you so much, Graham, have a great day.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
That's Melissa Hartman, the mother of two who survived a
cardiac arrest just the age of thirty one. She was
told she had a one percent chance of survival. She
literally came back from the dead. Although she has ongoing
after effects hypoxic brain injury, which affects her short term
long term memory loss, she is dealing with it, as
(07:33):
you can hear, remarkably well. And she's the MC for
Brain Injury Awareness Week this Monday at the Adelaide Conventions
edit A double two three, double double is my number.
We've got about it. What an hour of the show
to go And the Adelaid Film Festival Announcewers a very
fascinating film that's going to be opening. We're going to
speak with the director and producer and we're going to
(07:55):
meet the first of our seven Sensational Southern standents. Now,
remember we've been calling for some time for sensational South
Australians over seventy where we've narrowed it down to seven
and we're going to meet the first of them a
little bit later this morning. Five Double A Mornings with
Graham Goodings
Well, coming up now, a story of courage, determination and
a second chance at life. Melissa Hartman is a mum
of two from Christy Darn's who, at just thirty one,
quite literally died. She suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, flatline
for twenty minutes and survived against all the odds, despite
less than a one percent chance of making it. She's
(00:21):
now the MC of Brain Injury Awareness Week, the big
launch this Monday at the ADELAID Convention Setenter, and she
joins us now to share a story. Melissa, Welcome, Thanks
for your time today.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Thank you so much. Graham.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Now, this is a remarkable story. Take us through it.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Well, everything up and to a reason. I was getting
ready to go on a blind date and I was
sitting at home at about forty minutes before I had
to start leaving to arrive, and my friend popped over
and I just had a coughing fit at the doorway,
letting him in the house, and I ran to my
room to get a bottle of water and just completely laps.
(01:00):
So he's heard the thud, come running in and found
me unconscious on the ground. I had no pulse, I'd
stopped breathing, so he did CPR, rung triple zero and
continue doing CPR until the paramedics arrived.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Wow, scary stuff. You've spoken about experiencing the other side.
Tell us about it.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yes, Yeah, Like I saw my kids to the left
of me, a beautiful stream with vivid, like bright colors,
and then it was sort of like, oh, what do
I do? Like I knew that I'd be okay and
that my children'd be okay, but I could see them
sort of floating there, and it was sort of like
a whirlwind of like what do I do? Like I
(01:41):
know they'll be okay, but I sort of, you know,
I'm not ready yet. I still have a lot more
to do in life. I need to be back with them.
And then everything sort of flashed white and like my
first vivid memory sort of back here was laying in hospital.
I could tell that I was in hospital, but I didn't, like,
I didn't have that much pain or anything in my body,
just my ribs and my sternum. And then yeah, I
(02:04):
sort of mumbled out to my dad and he got
the nurses in to explain what had happened. And I've
been in a coma for a week and I've since
been transferred out of ICU, and when I woke up,
I will from my first memory I was in the
cardiac word has it.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Left you with any lasting effects?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Loss of memory because I was flat for so long
before they were able to restart my heart. I've got
a hypoxic brain injury, which means that there was not
enough oxygenated blood going to my brain, so that's caused
memory loss. I've got brain damage to the frontal lobe,
so I have trouble with concentration memory now more than ever.
(02:47):
I notice I'll be able to sort of remember a face,
but I've lost the name. I wouldn't know who it is,
but I know that I remember their face.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
It sounds like you made considering all all of the
lifelong impacts, you've made an incredible recovery, and you know
you've taken on life front on.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yes, it's definitely given me a whole new sense of purpose.
Like I realize, you know, I don't don't. I didn't
have any effects that anything was going to lead to
a sudden cardiac arrest. You know, I wasn't unhealthy, but
I certainly could have been a bit healthier in my life,
but nothing that would have would have explained a sudden
(03:29):
cardiac arrest, and just how short life can life can end?
So I live a whole lot like I've got more
purpose now with my life, when I live happier and
a lot more determined in life these days.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
So how did you feel when they told you, you know,
you survived against the odds, you've virtually had a one
percent chance of survival.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I could not believe it. It didn't sound like real,
Like I was so young or thirty one at the time,
and yeah, now it was like, you know, you might
not walk again, you might not be able to talk properly.
In the early stages, we were talking about me needing
around the clock care basically having someone showering me, doing
all personal care and stuff, as well as helping me
(04:10):
look after my children. And I thought, no, I'm a
single mum, Like I've looked after my children on my own,
I'll be looking after them again. And yeah, it was
just the sort of ball out of the gates like, no,
I'll show you what I can do, and.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Off I went, that's remarkable. So what part did your
children play in your recovery?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Everything? I had to do it for them, like everyone
says that they'll die for their kids. But it was
the thing of Okay, well I've already died. Now I
need to live for my children, and that's the most
important thing I want them to see that, you know,
like the song I've been knocked down, but I've gotten
up again, and I don't let anything stop me. Now,
(04:51):
Mind over matter.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Yeah, that's great. Now you're m seeing the launch of
Brain Injury Awareness Week. What messages do you hope to
get across the.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Importance of learning CPR.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
That.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Obviously, my brain injury was from my cardiac arrest, so
it's a secondary to the cardiac arrest. I've been so
grateful to receive the support from Varnercare and Brain Injury
SA and that has helped tremendously in how I've become
so strong so quickly today, And just to show others
(05:24):
in the audience and for those watching online as well,
that put your mind to it and work your hardest.
Anything's possible.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Now I see here that August twenty six is a
very special day for you. Is it actually your birthday?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
No, it's the date that I had the sudden cardiac arress. Totally,
I say it's my fourth birthday, So yeah, it's coming
up this year. It's basically how I celebrate the day
in a positive light because it was such a negative
day on my family's lives. I wasn't expected to live
at all. The fact that I made it over forty
(06:00):
eight hours was a miracle, but then to still be
here today, coming up four years later. So I celebrated
as though it's a birthday because I live completely differently
now to how I did previously.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Many people see disability as something that needs to be visible.
How do you help redefine that with your story?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
With my story just sort of pushing myself as well.
I got told what I couldn't do so many times
when I was recovering, and it was just, you know,
everyone's waiting to see me collapse and crumble. I want
to show them that, you know, I'm still standing on
my own two feet, I'm walking, I'm talking. I'm able
to do everything that I was told I couldn't do.
(06:43):
I do struggle daily, but I keep on striving and
keep pushing forward.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Melissa, it's a great story. It's a source of inspiration
not only for people who going through hardship, but for
all of us that you know, a new attack, a
brand every day is a brand new day, and exactly
no matter what you set back is make the most
of it.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Yes, as negative as something can be, you'll always be
able to find a positive somewhere.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Melissa, thank you so much for your time today.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Thank you so much, Graham, have a great day.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
That's Melissa Hartman, the mother of two who survived a
cardiac arrest just the age of thirty one. She was
told she had a one percent chance of survival. She
literally came back from the dead. Although she has ongoing
after effects hypoxic brain injury, which affects her short term
long term memory loss, she is dealing with it, as
(07:33):
you can hear, remarkably well. And she's the MC for
Brain Injury Awareness Week this Monday at the Adelaide Conventions
edit A double two three, double double is my number.
We've got about it. What an hour of the show
to go And the Adelaid Film Festival Announcewers a very
fascinating film that's going to be opening. We're going to
speak with the director and producer and we're going to
(07:55):
meet the first of our seven Sensational Southern standents. Now,
remember we've been calling for some time for sensational South
Australians over seventy where we've narrowed it down to seven
and we're going to meet the first of them a
little bit later this morning. Five Double A Mornings with
Graham Goodings
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.