Murphy Jensen cast a wide, mischievous grin as he peered across the tennis court.
The 6-foot-5 man's flawless face and scalp, as well as the dazzling flash of his teeth, gave out an inviting, joyful vibe. This is a guy so peppy that a friend insists "the sun decides where to shine based on where Murphy goes."
He was competing against his older brother, Luke, in a mixed doubles exhibition match on this particular day, the eve of his 53rd birthday. Luke was wrapping off his first week in his new role as director of racquet sports at the Colorado resort.
The Jensen brothers formerly energized tennis as doubles partners. They didn't only win the 1993 French Open; it was also how they went about it. They were the next big thing with their long blonde hair, flashy clothing, and soaring chest bump celebrations. They were up-and-comers in a specialized area of a country club sport, but the trajectory of their success was more akin to a boy band with their first big hit than what they actually were.
They continue to draw a crowd even after all these years. Murphy continues to hammer the ball quite hard. Therefore, even though it was a friendly competition, it was still a competition. That explains Murphy's smile, which appeared devious as he prepared to serve.
Luke observed Murphy's eyes intently to determine where Murphy was aiming. However, he observed the most bizarre thing. After throwing the ball into the air, Murphy shut his eyes.
Murphy stayed locked in his pre-serve position with his eyes closed as the ball fell.
He then fell backward, and the back of his head struck the hard court as he fell like a tree. He was having a heart attack.
What occurred next began when Murphy stayed motionless for an excessive amount of time.
Someone immediately took over and performed CPR and used an AED device until he was breathing again. It appears that someone’s CPR and AED training saved his life.
Murphy has repeatedly resisted death. He has traveled the winding road from addiction to sustained sobriety. He's struggled with his mental health. He is currently coping with difficulties brought on by his most recent near-death encounter, which caused him to sustain a traumatic brain injury and severe hearing loss.
Despite everything he has gone through, his wife Kate characterizes him in the following way: "It's the magic of Murphy; he still sees the world through the eyes of a 6-year-old who doesn't even know that life can be awful."
That explains how he amassed friends like Robert Downey Jr. and Bill Gates. It's the reason he's socialized with celebrities and dignitaries, hosted a TV program, and co-founded a software firm.
Murphy's promotion of CPR and AED training nine years before those skills saved his life on October 29, 2021, is arguably the best illustration of his magic.
Murphy is telling his story to commemorate his first "re-birthday," as cardiac arrest survivors refer to it.
Encourage people to learn CPR and how to use an AED to help save lives. Encouragement and de-stigmatization of mental health treatment and addiction recovery can help save lives. Most importantly, provide hope to save lives.