What began as a routine workout at Orangetheory Fitness in Billings quickly became a life-or-death emergency — and a powerful example of how training, preparedness and teamwork can save a life.

Red Cross volunteer Mick Brown had finished a workout class and was sitting on the floor talking with training coach Elizabeth Junco.

 “All of a sudden, I just started feeling really dizzy,” he said. “That was all I remember from that point on for a while.”

Brown fell back, lost consciousness and started turning blue.

That’s when the team around him sprang into action.

A second training coach, Stacey Ban, raced over and told Junco to get the automated external defibrillator (AED). Studio member Dawn Rollinger began yelling Brown’s name, checking his pulse and breathing and trying to wake him. Fellow studio member Danielle Sperry called 9-1-1 and stayed on the phone with emergency dispatch. Junco also called her husband, who’s a doctor, for additional guidance over the phone.

Working quickly together, the team placed the AED on Brown and delivered a shock while Ban began CPR.

“The AED really is a smart machine,” Junco said. “It really does walk you through what you need to do.”

As the emergency unfolded, each person instinctively took on a role, creating a coordinated response when seconds mattered most.

“I think we had certain personalities to work together as a team to take instruction or know when to step up,” Sperry said. “Everyone stayed really calm, and when they couldn’t, they removed themselves for a while. It felt like we had the right set of people with the right personalities and skill sets.”

About 5 minutes after the incident began, Brown started breathing again. Emergency medical services arrived 10 to 15 minutes later and transported him to the hospital.

Doctors later determined Brown had suffered cardiac arrest caused by four blockages in his heart, along with blood clots in his lungs.

“It was definitely an opportunity to get some things taken care of I didn’t know was going on,” he said.
Tempe Connell, owner of Orangetheory, stayed with Brown in the ER until his family arrived.

“I will always be indebted to them, and I try to remind myself of that every day,” he said.

Three days later, Brown was able to go home.

He credits the team’s quick response with saving his life — and possibly preventing an even greater tragedy.

“If it would have been even 10 minutes later on, I would have been in my truck,” he said. “Probably driving. Who knows what would have happened?”

Now recovering, Brown has returned to the studio after completing cardiac rehabilitation — something staff and members say has been especially meaningful.

“It’s pretty fun having him back,” Ban said.

“After class he’s the type of guy who goes around and fist bumps everybody in the room whether he knows you or not,” Junco said.

For Brown, the experience has brought renewed energy and perspective.

“Some days I feel better than I ever did before. It helps to have blood flowing through your heart,” he joked.

Helping others

A retired plumber, Brown has volunteered with the American Red Cross for about a year and a half, responding to disaster calls in the Billings area, mostly home fires.

“There’s only a few volunteers in this area that do those calls,” he said. “So we get called out quite often.”
His decision to volunteer came during a recent hurricane season.

“I was sitting there in the morning drinking my coffee and reading about the hurricanes,” he said. “And it just came to me that here I am -- I have time on my hands -- and reading about all these people who are going through these tragic times. There’s no reason you cannot reach out and try to help. And the American Red Cross came to mind.”

Now, after finding himself on the other side of that help, Brown says he carries deep gratitude for everyone who stepped in when he needed it most.

“I will always be indebted to them, and I try to remind myself of that every day,” he said.

For the Orangetheory staff and studio members, the experience reinforced the importance of CPR and AED training — and the role everyday people can play in saving a life.

“There’s no reason not to get trained,” Ban said. “You never know when you’ll need it.”