SAN ANTONIO — A paramedic responded to a cardiac arrest call about his own father and helped to save his life.
KSAT reported that San Antonio Fire Department David Nielsen was nearing the end of his shift on Sept. 24 when he and his partner were dispatched to a cardiac arrest call at his father, Dave’s, house.
“He said the address, and I immediately was like, uh-uh,” Nielsen said. “When we got there, he was in the middle of working cardiac arrest. They had the CPR machine on him. They’d given medication. He had to be shocked several times, so we jumped in.”
Dave said he attributes his survival to the quick-thinking of his wife, who called 911 and began CPR immediately, and the work of the paramedics.
“I just stopped breathing,” Dave said. “My wife realized that and she called 911 and started CPR right away. It was pretty, pretty emotional.”
Nielsen later gave Dave a tour of the ambulance he was transported in and showed him the CPR machine that kept him alive.
The two said the little things are now more important than ever.
“He got to come over for Halloween with the grandkids again, and we’re going over Thursday for Thanksgiving,” Nielsen said.
“It’s important to let people know you love, that you love them,” Dave said.