How dog and wife saved husband from unexpected cardiac arrest

Published: 23 March 2026

When well-known New Zealand artist Greg Straight woke up on one morning in June, the 52-year-old had no idea his life was about to hang by a thread.

Known for his iconic Kiwiana designs for brands like Four Square and Bluebird, the fit and healthy father had no warning signs something was wrong with his heart.

Around 7am, Greg felt what he thought was indigestion. He walked into the bedroom while his wife Hannah and 15-year-old son Leo were in the kitchen. Moments later, he collapsed.

“I was unconscious and Hannah said I was later frothing at the mouth,” Greg says.

The apparent indigestion was actually a heart attack that triggered a cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops beating. Every minute without CPR or defibrillation cuts survival chances by another 10 percent. Greg was minutes from death.

In the kitchen, Hannah and Leo were unaware of the dire situation unfolding until Millie, the family dog, sensed something was wrong. She ran into the bedroom and barked relentlessly.

“She was barking in a way she’s never barked before,” Hannah recalls. “It was frantic and suddenly alerted us something was off. We ran to the room, and he was already unconscious, unresponsive and not breathing. That bark saved Greg’s life.”

Race against time and bravery under pressure

Leo called 111 while Hannah launched into CPR, guided by the call taker.

For 15 agonising minutes, she pumped Greg’s chest, swapping briefly with Leo before resuming compressions while their daughter Chloe gently held his head and offered comfort.

Paramedics arrived, delivered a defibrillator shock that restarted his heart and rushed him to hospital for emergency surgery to insert a stent. Around 17 days later Greg then had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) inserted.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Greg says he is forever grateful. “Thank goodness Hannah was there. She was minutes away from leaving for work.

“For a cardiac arrest, I was told without intervention you have about six minutes from hitting the floor to dying. If Millie wasn’t as quick, and Hannah didn’t know what to do, I’d be a goner.”

Hannah says the gravity of the situation only hit halfway through CPR. 

“At first, there was no emotion. I was in practical mode. It was only halfway that my emotions kicked in and I thought, s**t, if I don’t do a good enough job he will die. I told myself that’s not going to happen. Not today.”

Remarkably, just weeks earlier Hannah had taken a CPR refresher course in her spare time, something she hadn’t done for years and had not actively planned.  She now believes the timing was no coincidence.

“I don’t know why but I feel like that was the purpose of me doing it,” she says. “To be there on that day at that moment.”

Road to recovery

Doctors later told Greg that Millie and Hannah’s quick actions, and his healthy lifestyle, boosted his survival chances. Despite this, the 52-year-old surfer faced a tough road back.

He spent 18 days in North Shore Hospital recovering, feeling “wrecked” for weeks. At night, when trying to sleep, his body jolted him awake gasping for air. He also struggled emotionally, wrestling with the question: why me?

Along with the heart attack and cardiac arrest, Greg was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, which increases stroke and heart failure risk. He was prescribed nine pills a day, placed on a strict diet, and banned from driving, surfing or exercising for months. The time off work and sudden loss of

independence added financial and mental strain.

Greg admits there were dark days, but found strength in reading other heart journeys, leaning on family, friends and hospital staff.

“The care and support from the doctors, nurses and psychologists at North Shore Hospital were incredible,” he says. “They brought light to some very dark times.”

Six months on, Greg is back working reduced hours and started surfing again, grateful for each small step.

Greg’s plea to Kiwis over heart health

The Kiwi artist knows he doesn’t fit the stereotype of someone at risk of heart disease, and that’s why he feels compelled to speak out.

“I don’t smoke, I don’t drink much, I’m slim, I surf, I eat well, there’s no history of heart disease in my family,” he says.

“People need to be more aware of the warning signs and understand this doesn’t just happen to old people. It can happen to anyone at any time. Sometimes, like me, there are no warning signs.

“It’s given the s**ts to my friends. They say, ‘If it happened to Greg, it could happen to anyone.’ 

“I encourage everyone to get a heart check done, no matter what age, and for everyone to learn CPR. If Hannah didn’t know CPR I wouldn’t be here. I hope my story can help someone else.”

Greg is sharing his story as part of the Heart Foundation’s Big Heart Appeal, which will see volunteers collecting nationwide on February 27 and 28, 2026, to fund life-saving heart research and support for people living with heart disease.