Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivor | Transformation Speaker | Catalyst for Second Chances

Greg’s heart stopped in the middle of Times Square and

what should have been the end became his beginning.

After defying 98% fatal odds and returning from clinical death, Greg discovered his

true calling: proving that transformation doesn’t require tragedy and that the

wake-up call you need doesn’t have to be the one that nearly kills you.

Today, he guides others out of the shadows of denial, burnout, addiction, and self-sabotage. Not through theory, but through the raw truth of someone who’s literally been to the other side and chose to come back with a message.

You don’t have to die to learn how to live.

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About Greg Melli-Jones

Greg Melli-Jones is a sudden cardiac arrest survivor, transformation speaker, and former IT executive who helps leaders, organizations, and medical audiences understand the power of resilience, authenticity, and second chances.

In 2017, Greg collapsed in Times Square and was clinically dead before being revived by FDNY Engine 65. Today, he lives with a Biotronik ICD, a stent, and daily medication, reminders that medical technology doesn’t limit success, it enables it.

For 23 years, Greg led a Manhattan IT services company, learning firsthand the pressures of leadership, burnout, and the hidden costs of overwork. His recovery, from cardiac arrest, addiction, and self-doubt taught him that real success is not about working harder, but about leading authentically and fighting for yourself as much as you fight for others.

Now, Greg speaks at medical device conferences, corporate events, and healthcare programs to deliver a clear message: you don’t need a crisis to change your life, only the honesty and courage to begin.

Speaking Presentations

1. Thriving After Crisis: From Flatline to Leadership

How a sudden cardiac arrest in Times Square became the wake-up call that changed everything. Greg shares what dying, and coming back, taught him about authentic leadership, resilience, and living with purpose.

Audience Takeaways:

Proof that cardiac events and setbacks don’t have to end careers
How to turn crisis into clarity about what truly matters
A framework for leading authentically in high-pressure environments

2. Leading with an ICD: Thriving in High-Performance Careers

Living proof that medical devices don’t limit success, they enable it. Greg offers a real-world perspective on thriving in demanding careers with an implanted defibrillator, stent, and the daily reminders of resilience they represent.

Audience Takeaways:

Clarity on workplace realities for professionals with implanted devices
Dispelling misconceptions about device limitations in leadership roles
How patient education builds confidence, acceptance, and long-term success

3. The Courage to Choose Differently: Leadership Without Burnout

Behind Greg’s cardiac arrest was years of work addiction, people-pleasing, and denial. This keynote reveals how unsustainable patterns quietly break leaders, and how courage and authenticity can rebuild them stronger.

Audience Takeaways:

Recognizing the hidden costs of overwork, numbing, and “not-enoughness”
Practical strategies for sustainable high performance
Why courage and self-honesty are the foundation of real leadership

Formats

Keynote • Interactive Workshop • Panel • Virtual • Physician Education

Speaking Highlights

Greg has been recognized by the FDNY for his extraordinary survival story and has shared his message on diverse stages, from first responder celebrations to corporate events to comedy clubs, proving his ability to connect with any audience.

FDNY Engine 65 – 125th Anniversary
Keynote honoring the crew that saved his life after sudden cardiac arrest in Times Square.
FDNY Second Chance Brunch (2018)
Featured survivor speaker, sharing his journey of resilience, gratitude, and transformation.
Rotary Club of New York (2025)
Upcoming keynote on leadership, courage, and sustainable success after crisis.
Gotham Comedy Club
Stand-up storytelling performances that made medical trauma accessible through humor and authenticity.

Formats: Keynote • Interactive Workshop • Panel • Virtual • Physician Education

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My Story

Greg is a sudden cardiac arrest survivor, transformation speaker, and former IT executive who helps organizations understand the power of resilience, authenticity, and second chances.

The Executive Behind the Patient

For 23 years, Greg built and led a Manhattan IT services company as part-owner and president. He managed a 15-person team, served more than 45 clients across the NYC metro area, and carried the constant weight of leadership in a demanding industry.

On the outside, he looked successful. On the inside, he was exhausted. Greg fought for his employees and clients every day, but never for himself. He worked constantly, not out of passion, but to escape the fear of not being enough. He numbed that pain with long hours, food, and alcohol, believing that if he just pushed harder, he’d finally feel whole.

The Breaking Point

On March 3, 2017, while walking through Times Square, Greg collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest. He was clinically dead before FDNY Engine 65 revived him against 98% odds.
“I woke up with a Biotronik ICD in my chest... alive, but facing a new reality.”

The Real Recovery Challenge

The physical recovery was straightforward. The professional and psychological recovery was not. How do you rebuild confidence when your body has failed you? How do you return to leadership with a device in your chest and a shadow of doubt in your mind?

Greg had to learn that his ICD wasn’t a limitation, it was a safeguard, a second chance to live and lead differently.

Beyond Survival to Transformation

Over time, Greg realized his cardiac arrest wasn’t just a medical event, it was a wake-up call. The real crisis was the years of unsustainable work patterns, people-pleasing, and destructive coping that had pushed him to the brink.

His transformation began when he stopped numbing and started telling himself the truth. With professional support, honest self-reflection, and radical lifestyle changes, he rebuilt not just his health but his entire definition of success.

In 2023, Greg made the hardest but healthiest decision of his life: he stepped away from the IT business he had built for 23 years. Staying would have meant going back to the same patterns that nearly killed him. Leaving created the space to live differently, and to speak authentically about it.

Today

Greg now speaks to organizations, healthcare audiences, and leadership groups to share a simple but hard-won truth:
Survival isn’t enough. Real success requires courage, authenticity, and finally fighting for yourself.

For Medical Device Audiences

Living Successfully with Biotronik ICD + Stent Since 2017

Greg offers unique insights for medical device companies and healthcare professionals about the real-world impact of cardiac technology on professional performance:

Leading in high-performance roles with implanted cardiac devices
Return-to-work strategies after cardiac events
Addressing patient concerns about visibility and workplace perception
How education drives device acceptance and confidence
The psychology of living with life-saving technology

His experience demonstrates that medical devices enable, not limit, career success. Authentic patient voices matter, and Greg brings credibility and insight to every presentation.

The Leadership Transformation

“I don’t stand here claiming to have all the answers. I stand here because I finally had the courage to ask better questions."

Sometimes the bravest thing a successful leader can do is admit that their version of success isn’t sustainable.”

Greg’s journey from survival to advocacy demonstrates that choosing authenticity over image isn’t just possible, it’s essential for leaders who want to sustain high performance without sacrificing their health.

Booking Information

Primary Focus: Medical device companies • Healthcare organizations • Corporate leadership programs

Speaking Investment: Varies by event scope — please inquire for details
Travel: Available nationwide and internationally
Virtual Presentations: Full-service remote capability

📧 Email: greg@mellijones.com

Book Greg for Your Next Event

Core Message

You don’t need a crisis to change your life, only the honesty and courage to begin.

I learned this the hard way: through sudden cardiac arrest in Times Square, an ICD in my chest, and the realization that I had been working myself into the ground while numbing the pain of not feeling enough.

My message is simple:

Medical challenges don’t end careers, they can transform them.
Authentic leadership begins when you stop performing and start telling the truth.
Sustainable success requires finally fighting for yourself, not just everyone else.

Service to others is essential. But it has to start with service to yourself.