Boater thanks CPR lifesavers who fired flares to gain help
21/02/2020
A boater who survived a heart attack has returned to thank rescuers, who undertook CPR and sent up flares, for saving his life.
In August 2019, Dennis Dillon went into cardiac arrest while boating with his wife in Port Jefferson Harbor, Long Island Sound, CBS New York reports.
His wife began CPR and called for help. Fellow boaters responded, one of whom was a doctor, took over the CPR and fired flares to summon help.
Mr Dillon’s heart was twice shocked before Port Jefferson emergency services personnel arrived and took him to Stony Brook University Hospital, where an anterior blockage was diagnosed and treated.
He told WCBS88O, “I will never be able to repay any of the beautiful, loving people who are responsible for my being here, but I can pay it forward by trying to help someone else. I am anxious to share my story and raise awareness about heart diseases.”
Mr Dillon now has an automated external defibrillator on his boat and encourages boaters to do the same.
