An Arizona man leaves Dallas in good health thanks to the quick actions of a friend, an automated external defibrillator and fast-acting firefighters.
Roy Tousley collapsed at Galleria Dallas on Oct. 27. In a matter of minutes, his friend had started CPR and mall security gave him two shocks with an AED, but Tousley was still in danger.
Dallas Fire-Rescue Engine 20 was first on the scene and took over, continuing CPR and using the defibrillator. By the time firefighters got Tousley to Medical City Dallas he was breathing on his own and stable.
"This is an awesome outcome, we're very happy to see it. We don't get to see it enough," said Jay Prigmore the driver, engineer and paramedic for Engine 20.
Tousley and his wife stopped by the fire house on Wednesday to say thank you to rescuers.
"I came to the fire station to give my very best to these gentlemen that saved my life," said Tousley.
Doctors told Tousley's wife that 1,000 people a day suffer cardiac arrest and the result is not always the same.
"We need to get defibrillators in every public place that we can," said Myrna Tousley. "We need everybody to take a CPR course, that's crucial."
Tousley and his wife said they want to raise money to make defibrillators more readily available.
