It was a bit of both actually, and then some. Everyone trying to save him helped (Emil, Bibbo, Guardian, etc.). Then the Eradicator took Kal's body to the fortress and put it in the solar matrix thingy (originally to tap into the body's power if I remember correctly). The body was clinicly dead, but Kal's cells were still absorbing solar energy (in and out of the matrix) like crazy. Then Pa Kent nearly 'died'. While nearly dead, Pa met up with Superman as he was being brought to the afterlife. He was being brought there (to hell actually) by demons that Pa saw but Superman didn't. The two of them fought off the demons and went back to their respective bodies.