Dr. Oz helps police perform CPR on man who collapsed at airport
“What better help to have than a cardiac surgeon?”
By Larry Higgs
nj.com
NEWARK, N.J. — Port Authority police officers, who came to the aid of a man who passed out at Newark Liberty Airport, had assistance from a famous TV doctor who just got off the same flight.
The assist came from Dr. Mehmet Oz, who saw Port Authority Police Officer Jeffrey Croissant come to the aid of a 60-year-old New Jersey man who collapsed in the baggage claim area of Terminal B at 11:07 p.m. Monday, the Port Authority said Tuesday.
The victim “looked like a tree falling,” said Croissant, who rushed over, saw the man wasn’t breathing, checked and determined he had no pulse. He called for back-up and started to perform CPR, said Lenis Valens, a Port Authority spokeswoman.
It was then that his famous back-up came over from a nearby baggage carousel and helped Croissant perform CPR.
“What better help to have than a cardiac surgeon?” the officer said after he didn’t initially recognize Dr. Oz, who was wearing a mask.
Thank you @DrOz and our brave PAPD team of officers Michael Bock, Matthew Vecchione, Daniel Olbrich, and Jeffrey Croissant (pictured left) who provided life-saving #CPR to a passenger in cardiac arrest last night at @EWRairport. #cprsaveslives pic.twitter.com/QEorDtA3ar
— Port Authority of NY & NJ. Wear a Face Covering. (@PANYNJ) March 2, 2021
Port Authority Officers Michael Bock, Matthew Vecchione and Daniel Olbrich arrived and administered oxygen and used a defibrillator on the man. After several more cycles of CPR, the man began breathing on his own and was stabilized.
The 60-year old New Jersey resident was transported to the intensive care unit of a hospital where he is undergoing further evaluation, Valens said.
“It’s that soul-zapping moment when you realize you’re losing a life, so I started doing CPR…” @DrOz describes the measures he took to help a save the life of man having a medical emergency at Newark Airport. https://t.co/U3PvSpo8ek pic.twitter.com/Ez0kAS1YYo
— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 3, 2021
Dr. Oz tweeted about the incident Tuesday.
“As a physician and a human being, it’s our responsibility to jump in when there’s a medical emergency,” he tweeted. “Another critical reminder of how important it is to take the time to learn how to do CPR and use a defibrillator.”
[READ: Cops' increasing role in providing medical care]
Last night, a man collapsed near me and my family after we arrived @EWRairport. I performed CPR with the help of a Newark Port Authority police officer and cleared the man's airway. Thankfully, the airport had a defibrillator nearby that we were able to use to save his life. https://t.co/OMlQWVI9KT
— Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) March 2, 2021
As a physician and a human being, it’s our responsibility to jump in when there’s a medical emergency. Another critical reminder of how important it is to take the time to learn how to do CPR and use a defibrillator.
— Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) March 2, 2021
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