‘He came back from the dead.’ Missing hiker revived after getting lost at Mount Rainier

A hiker was revived after he went missing in whiteout conditions at Mount Rainier National Park and his heart stopped.

Michael Knapinski, 45, told “Good Morning America” he was hiking at Mount Rainier on Nov. 7 when he split up from his friend and the weather started picking up. Temperatures dropped and Knapinski was found by a Navy search and rescue helicopter the next morning, according to the publication.

“I couldn’t see anything down there, zero visibility, even with a headlight or anything,” Knapinski said, according to the publication. “I don’t know what happened.”

His heart stopped after he arrived at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and staff used CPR and other techniques for 45 minutes to revive him, Knapinski told GMA.

Dr. Saman Arbabi, medical director of the intensive care unit, said Knapinski’s kidneys weren’t working properly and his heart had difficulty circulating blood, The Seattle Times reported.

“He came back from the dead. … Maybe not medically quite correct, but his heart wasn’t beating for more than 45 minutes,” Arbabi said. “It’s amazing.”

Arbabi told The New York Times that Knapinski was kept sedated and at a lower temperature to protect his organs and brain. Arbabi said the doctors didn’t know if there would be permanent damage due to the lack of oxygen to his brain.

Knapinski woke up two days later and his lungs and heart were working normally, according to the publication.

As of Friday night, Knapinski still hasn’t been discharged and is experiencing “some cognitive delays” but is improving, The Seattle TImes reported.

This story was originally published November 16, 2020 at 11:07 AM with the headline "‘He came back from the dead.’ Missing hiker revived after getting lost at Mount Rainier."