ANNA MARIA – Sgt. Brett Getman is recovering from a heart attack he suffered while on duty on Dec. 19 and he credits Deputy Jared Leggett and others for saving his life.
Getman has led the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Anna Maria Unit since January 2020. Leggett transferred to the Anna Maria Unit in early December.
On Tuesday, Jan. 3, Getman and Leggett spoke during a press conference held at Anna Maria City Hall and organized by the Sheriff’s Office in response to press inquiries from The Sun and Fox 13 Tampa Bay.
Also in attendance were Getman’s mother, Vicki Getman, his father, Ron Getman, his daughter, Abbey Getman, his sister, Amy Lock and his brother-in-law, Keith Lock, who serves as a Manatee County EMS district chief. Getman’s daughters Sophia and Savannah were unable to attend.
Tampa-based American Heart Association Communications Director Johnny Johnson also attended the media event that coincidentally occurred the morning after NFL player Damar Hamlin experienced cardiac arrest during the nationally televised Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals football game.
“On Dec. 19th, around 10:30 in the morning, we got a call for a trespassing complaint. We located the subject on the beach and made the arrest,” Getman said.
The alleged criminal activity occurred at an unlocked vacation rental home at 806 North Shore Drive. The incident sheet names 26-year-old Devon Keith Guidry as the alleged offender and lists unarmed burglary of an unoccupied dwelling as the alleged offense. Getman said he located the suspect on the beach near Magnolia Avenue.
“We’ve had issues with the same subject before but we hadn’t been able to pinpoint him at a location. He was going into unlocked vacation rentals. We’ve stressed to the rental companies that their cleaners and other contractors need to lock the doors when they leave,” Getman said.
“I came back to the office (in the city hall building) and started doing my report. I was sitting at the desk typing and everything just went black. Thank God Deputy Leggett was in the office with me. If he wasn’t there, I would not be here. The medics treated me quickly and transported me to Blake Medical Center (HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton).”
Getman referred to his heart attack as a “widowmaker” – the type of heart attack that occurs when the heart’s largest artery is blocked.
When asked how he felt, Get- man said, “I’m doing OK. I’m sticking to the advice of my doctors and doing what they tell me. It’s cliché to say it’s a true blessing, but that’s exactly what it is. I have a second chance at this life. I know that I have something more to give and something more that I have to provide for my children. I wasn’t meant to go yet.”
When asked when he might return to work, Getman said, “It’s up to the doctors. There’s no timetable right now for a return.”
Lt. Lou Licata is currently in charge of the Anna Maria Unit.
Leggett’s actions
“We do a lot of our reports in our cars. On this day, I went back to the office,” Leggett said. “We started having a conversation about what we were going to charge the defendant with. Just after we finished our conversation, he (Getman) fell out of his chair. At first, I thought he was having a seizure. I checked for a pulse. He didn’t have one. I started CPR immediately and started doing chest compressions. On the desk where he sits was the AED (defibrillator). I grabbed the AED after two rounds of CPR. I hit the shock button and gave him his first round and started CPR again. About five or six minutes in, Sgt. Tommy Fraser from the Holmes Beach Police Department showed up and was able to relieve me on CPR so I could go get a VBM (breathing device) and start working on his airway. I had one in my truck.”
Leggett was a firefighter and an EMT before joining the sheriff’s office nearly 11 years ago and Keith Lock was one of his EMT instructors.
“It all kind of goes full circle,” Leggett said. “Sgt. Getman is a perfect example of how important CPR is. If you have the opportunity to learn CPR and AED usage it could save a life. I’ve done CPR on other individuals, but this is my sergeant, my supervisor, my friend I’m trying to save. I’m grateful he’s still here with us.”
While being transported to the hospital, Getman received a police escort through the Holmes Beach detours.
“I thank God for Deputy Leggett and Sgt. Fraser. I also want to thank West Manatee Fire Rescue and Manatee County EMS. And my surgeon Dr. Baig was phenomenal. I remember talking to him and saying, ‘Don’t let me die. I have my kids.’ I want to thank everybody for their love and support,” Getman said.
Regarding Hamlin’s on-field cardiac arrest, Getman said, “Obviously, it got my attention. It’s more personal now when I see anything like that.”
Deputy Jared Leggett and Sgt. Brett Getman shared a hug after their press conference. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Heart Association
“It’s an amazing story. Everything happened the exact way it’s supposed to,” Johnson said of Getman’s close call. “We want to tell people that CPR is easier than you think. You only need to know two steps: call 911 and then push hard and push fast until help arrives. There’s no liability risk for trying to save somebody’s life. Good Samaritan laws will protect you. Contact the American Heart Association at Heart.org and we can help you find CPR training, and you can learn hands-only CPR in two minutes with the video at our website. We encourage everyone to feel comfortable performing CPR.”
Family thoughts
Vicki Getman said, “I think God has something else planned for Brett and our family had our miracle at Christmas. He’s only 48 years old. He’s too young. The doctor at Blake was absolutely wonderful.”
Ron Getman said, “We’re just so happy that Jared was available to save our son’s life. Had he not been there, we would’ve had a funeral instead of a Christmas celebration.”
