A dramatic medical emergency inside a shul in Kiryat Malachi ended with a remarkable recovery after a man suffered cardiac arrest in the middle of davening and was saved by a United Hatzalah volunteer who happened to be there at the critical moment.
Security camera footage released Thursday captures the frightening incident as Roni Nakash suddenly collapses and the volunteer immediately races across the shul to begin lifesaving treatment.
The incident occurred approximately six weeks ago while Nakash was davening in the shul. Without warning, he suffered cardiac arrest and his heart stopped beating.
United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Elandiv Tam was davening in the same shul at the time. Surveillance footage shows that the moment Tam noticed Nakash collapse, he immediately understood that something was seriously wrong.
Tam jumped from his seat and ran toward Nakash while simultaneously pulling out his United Hatzalah radio and calling for additional emergency responders. He immediately began CPR and used a United Hatzalah defibrillator in an effort to restart Nakash’s heart.
Within minutes, additional United Hatzalah volunteers arrived at the shul and joined Tam in the intensive resuscitation efforts.
B’chasdei Hashem, their efforts succeeded. Nakash’s heart began beating again, and, in a remarkable turn of events, he regained full consciousness and was able to speak with the medics who had just fought to save his life.
Nakash was subsequently transported to the hospital in stable condition.
B’siyata d’Shmaya, Tam’s immediate response — recognizing the collapse, beginning CPR without delay and quickly using the defibrillator — proved critical in saving Nakash’s life.
But the story did not end in the shul.
Last week, Tam was celebrating the wedding of his son when a special guest arrived to surprise him.
It was Roni.
Six weeks earlier, Nakash had been lying unconscious on the floor of the shul as Tam desperately worked to save him. Now, he walked into the wedding healthy and on his own two feet, coming specifically to meet and thank the man whose rapid response had given him another chance at life.
The reunion between the two men was deeply emotional.
For Tam, seeing Nakash standing before him served as a powerful reminder that behind every emergency call and every resuscitation effort is not merely another medical case, but a human being, a family and an entire life.
For Nakash, the wedding provided an opportunity to express his gratitude to the man who happened to be there at precisely the right moment — and who recognized what was happening, reacted without hesitation and fought to keep him alive.
The newly released surveillance footage, provided by the shul, captures those crucial moments as Nakash collapses, Tam spots him from across the room, rushes to his side and immediately begins the lifesaving actions that would ultimately help save his life.
{Matzav.com}
