Leo Staudacher prefers to remain low-profile.

But that went out the window when he suffered a heart attack in the midst of 114,000 people.

When fast-acting fans saved Staudacher’s life in Michigan Stadium during the Notre Dame vs. University of Michigan football game on Sept. 10, his story attracted attention from everybody.

Even Brady Hoke.

Among the stack of well-wishes Staudacher received in the past three weeks was a card from the first-year coach of the Michigan Wolverines, who took a few moments out of his busy Big Ten schedule to jot a note to the Notre Dame fan.

“This isn’t something that was set up by their (public relations) staff,” said Staudacher, the 69-year-old Bay City retiree. “This is from a guy who cares enough about a human being to sit down with a felt pen and write a note. It’s someone he doesn’t know, has never met and is a Notre Dame fan, but he took the time to do it.

“If that isn’t class, I don’t know what is.”

Staudacher, who said he is feeling remarkably well in the wake of his ordeal, said he opened a greeting card bearing the famous winged-helmet of the Wolverines to find the hand-written words of Hoke.

“It was just like you or me, he got to the bottom and realized he was running out of room so the words got smaller and smaller,” said Staudacher, who chose to keep the bulk of the message personal.

“He said ‘You were in the right place. The U-M family is proud to take care of you.’ ”

Staudacher said he cringes at all the publicity his adventure received as media outlets from as far away as Florida have called. But now that he has everyone’s attention, he has a message to deliver.

Staudacher wants to spread the word about the value of CPR and on-site automated external defibrillators, the two keys to his dramatic rescue.

“If nothing else comes out of this, my one hope is that people become more aware of the importance of CPR,” he said. “You could save a spouse, a child, a grandchild or a grandparent. You don’t think about how important it is until it hits you between the eyes.”

Staudacher said he’s checked with the yacht club, country club and Little League that he frequents about AED availability and plans to do what he can to raise funds and awareness for their use. His son’s workplace purchased one last week.

Nobody appreciates the positive effects of CPR and the AED better than Staudacher. Midway through the second quarter of the Notre Dame vs. Michigan football game, he collapsed on the fan seated in front of him.

That fan was Trenton dentist Marvin Sonne, who instantly performed CPR. Quick to the scene was Jan Tardiff, a nursing supervisor at Bay Regional Medical Center. Within minutes on-site medical personnel arrived with the AED.

“This story isn’t about me, it’s about the folks at U-M and the people in the stands who were trained to save lives through the use of CPR,” Staudacher said. “It could have been any one of the other 114,000 people at that game and the story would be the same. It just so happened that it was me.”

Staudacher said he has been invited to attend the American Heart Association’s gala in Ann Arbor on Oct. 22, where he will present Sonne with the Lifesaver of the Year award.

On Nov. 19, he’s scheduled to make his yearly trip to Notre Dame to watch the Irish take on Boston College. And thanks to CPR, AEDs, Sonne and Tardiff — and to the delight of Brady Hoke — Staudacher is keeping that schedule.