We will be reporting on lives saved around the world since our first documented life saved here in Singapore.
Mr and Mrs Seifer
Adam and Jane Olsen were at Jesse Lee April 19, preparing for the baptism of their children Allyson, 3, and infant, Jazlyn. The baptism had been originally scheduled in May but was moved at the last minute. They had arrived at the service a little early with a group of family and friends to make sure they had seats.
The Olsens’ friend, Katie White, was outside the church with her daughter as Ms. Seifer collapsed. Ms. White called for help.
Mr. Olsen is a cardiology physician assistant and several other family members are in the medical field, including his cousin Joe Lodato, who is an EMT in Westchester.
Mr. Lodato began mouth-to-mouth and Mr. Olsen administered chest compression.
Paramedics Michael Drake, Capt. Rick Lawlor, medic Bob Coppola and Nick D’Angelo arrived with an ambulance carrying state-of-the-art cardiopulmonary resuscitation equipment.
EMTs delivered defibrillation three times on the scene and got Ms. Seifer’s pulse back.
“You were feisty — that’s what they called you,” Chief Burford said to Ms. Seifer at their home last week. “You tried to take the breathing tube out so you could breath on your own — that’s a very good sign. You weren’t even in the hospital yet when the doctor took the tube out.”
“I never thought I’d see you again,” Mr. Seifer told his wife. “Her friends came here to tell me she had no pulse and was on her way to the hospital.”
When Mr. Seifer arrived his wife was awake but a little confused.
“If a defibrillator had been there we could have gotten her back even sooner,” he said.
“They [rescue workers] jump-started my heart,” Ms. Seifer said. “It was an electrical failure of the body.”
“It was truly miraculous,” Mr. Seifer said.
