--- title: "Combat Veteran Gets a Life-Saving Assist | Sutter Health" description: "Veteran Richard Sanders learned about the importance of teamwork when a life is on the line. That hit home recently when Sutter Health's CPMC team worked to save his life following a series of strokes." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/combat-veteran-gets-a-life-saving-assist-2037458578" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Patient Stories](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) / 3. Combat Veteran Gets a Life-Saving Assist # Combat Veteran Gets a Life-Saving Assist California Pacific Medical Center CPMC Davies Campus * * * 2025 Contributors: [Nobl Barazangi](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-nobl-barazangi-1046241149), [Joey English](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-joey-d-english-1046236752) In the military, Modesto resident Richard Sanders learned about the importance of teamwork when a life is on the line. That hit home recently when Sutter Health's CPMC team worked to save his life following a series of strokes. ## Discover similar stories Choose a service topic below to read more stories like this one. [Stroke and neurovascular care](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories?verticalKey=patient_story&facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_services.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Stroke+and+neurovascular+care%22%5D%7D%5D)[Neuroscience](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories?verticalKey=patient_story&facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_services.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Neuroscience%22%5D%7D%5D) ## Comprehensive Stroke Care At Sutter, we offer a full continuum of care for stroke, from initial treatment through recovery. [Request a Referral](https://www.sutterhealth.org/referrals) ## Explore where care happened ![CPMC Davies Campus](https://dyn.mktgcdn.com/p/6tA42daZQPottCZr4ZF355gKg469ORGr4OlGNcFQCns/fit=crop,gravity=auto,dpr=2,width=432,height=287,quality=75) [CPMC Davies Campus](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-location/facility/cpmc-davies-campus-1043247011) ## Meet our care team ![Joey D. English, M.D., Ph.D.](http://a.mktgcdn.com/p/9qgbTUyyYcNdjMbAZs_Q6dLYxYlJmSosDdXIVfa_T2M/200x200.jpg) [Joey D. English, M.D., Ph.D.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-joey-d-english-1046236752) Neurology Neuroradiology ![Nobl Barazangi, M.D., Ph.D.](http://a.mktgcdn.com/p/PaxA8jeNq1coPPoqMvJMEC0UNFE_anca1ZhnVnL5jWk/480x480.jpg) [Nobl Barazangi, M.D., Ph.D.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-nobl-barazangi-1046241149) Neurology Vascular Neurology ## Related articles [View all articles](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) - Patient story ### [Vagus Nerve Stimulation Aims to Restore Post-Stroke Mobility](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/vagus-nerve-stimulation-aims-to-restore-post-stroke-mobility-2023453248) Kendall Patton was the first Sutter patient to receive a vagus nerve stimulator, a device that helps his brain relearn motor skills. - Patient story ### [Patient’s Quick Recovery Shows Power of Rapid Stroke Response](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/patients-quick-recovery-shows-power-of-rapid-stroke-response-2023563960) Martin Hyland's case was the 1,000th thrombectomy performed by the CPMC neurointerventional team. - Patient story ### [Stroke Nearly Silences DJ Shortkut](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/stroke-nearly-silences-dj-shortkut-2029692373) Jonathan Cruz, better known to fans around the world as DJ Shortkut, returned to spinning after extensive rehabilitation after a stroke. [View all articles](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) ## Disclaimer _Each individual’s treatment and/or results may vary based upon circumstances and the healthcare provider’s medical judgment. Testimonials or statements made by any person(s) within this site are not intended to guarantee outcomes or substitute for medical advice._ ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/combat-veteran-gets-a-life-saving-assist-2037458578#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Patient Stories","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Combat Veteran Gets a Life-Saving Assist"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/combat-veteran-gets-a-life-saving-assist-2037458578#videoobject","name":"Stroke Care: How a Combat Veteran Got to the Right Team in Time","inLanguage":"en-US","thumbnailUrl":"https://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/817826402001/4ab271f2-bb1d-4e0a-b884-9dea6adf0314/daf1e31f-a0bb-410d-8bad-d768137596fe/1280x720/match/image.jpg","uploadDate":"2025-01-13T19:34:32.527Z","embedUrl":"https://players.brightcove.net/817826402001/79bcaa57-54d7-453c-9f1f-8ab3ef7b15de/index.html?videoId=6367043252112","description":"In the military, Modesto resident Richard Sanders learned about the importance of teamwork when a life is on the line. That hit home recently when Sutter Health's CPMC team worked to save his life following a series of strokes. ","duration":"PT3M11S","transcript":"RICHARD SANDERS: I spent a number of years\nin our nation's finest in the Army.\nGot to experience almost every combat operation\nthat we were involved in, from Desert Storm up\nthrough Afghanistan.\nWhen your life is in the hands of another,\nyou learn a different level of trust.\nAnd it really hit home after the strokes.\n[MUSIC PLAYING]\nI first started having the initial symptoms.\nI felt this pressure in my head.\nI would get massively dizzy.\nThey did a number of scans here in Modesto.\nSo they referred me to Dr. Barazangi in San Francisco.\nNOBL BARAZANGI: My first consultation with Mr. Sanders\nwas a video visit.\nAlthough we have many excellent certified stroke centers,\nthey don't all have the same subspecialists or same services.\nSo this integrated network of stroke facilities\nis really important.\nThe blood vessels in the back part of his brain\nwere basically blocked.\nI referred Richard to Dr. English, who's\na neurointerventional surgeon.\nJOEY ENGLISH: We have to have an integrated\napproach to the patient.\nWe can get the right patient to the right place\nfor the right treatment within our system.\nAnd that's the value of the Sutter Health Network.\n[MUSIC PLAYING]\n\n[UPTEMPO MUSIC]\nANALUSIA SANDERS: He called Ryan, our son.\nRyan comes running in the room, saying, \"Dad needs you.\nSomething's wrong with him.\"\nSo we got him to Memorial.\nAnd then they ran some tests.\nAnd they also decided to contact Dr. English.\nAnd he said you need to get him here now.\nRICHARD SANDERS: They got me transported out to CPMC.\nAnd apparently I was sitting in bed,\nand the speech pathologist-- literally right in front of her,\nthe whole left side, just everything sagged.\nJOEY ENGLISH: You have very limited time\nto act when someone's having a stroke.\nIt really is an emergency.\nRICHARD SANDERS: They got me down\ninto surgery within minutes.\nA blood clot had completely blocked\nthose arteries that provide oxygen\nto the back half of my brain.\nThey cleared the blockage.\nMiraculous is really the only word to describe it.\nEvery day I'm thankful that I'm vertical and breathing.\nMy care team, from the housekeeper to Dr. English,\nsuperheroes in every way.\nOne of the most common things in the military\nnow is using challenge coins.\nNot only is it a record of where you've been, but who you know.\nI felt that Dr. English had touched my life in such a way\nthat he had earned the respect to carry one of these coins.\n[TRIUMPHANT MUSIC]\nI wouldn't be here today if it weren't\nfor Dr. English and the entire care team that took care of me."} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/combat-veteran-gets-a-life-saving-assist-2037458578#article","name":"Combat Veteran Gets a Life-Saving Assist","headline":"Combat Veteran Gets a Life-Saving Assist","abstract":"Veteran Richard Sanders learned about the importance of teamwork when a life is on the line. 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