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San Diego paramedic saves mother of friend, colleague

By Diane Bell
The San Diego Union-Tribune

SAN DIEGO — When Ryan Lopez went to paramedic school and struck up a friendship with classmate Brian Borland, he hardly envisioned the role his new friend would play in his life.

Lopez’s mom, 51, collapsed at her University Heights home the other day. When paramedics and firefighters arrived seven minutes later, she had no pulse. Their emergency measures kept her alive while she remained in cardiac arrest for 45 minutes.

Lopez soon learned that Borland, 26, now his colleague at San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, and his co-worker Anthony Sablan, responded. He credits their work, along with firefighters and emergency room doctors, with saving his mother against great odds.

Full story: Borland had no idea patient was Lopez’s mother