Fahed Birumi, only 37-years-old, arrived at his doctor’s office with chest pains. The doctor realized Fahed was in life-threatening condition and called MDA. A Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulance arrived on the scene just as Fahed went into cardiac arrest and collapsed. At the same time another EMT arrived.
“When we arrived at the scene and started performing our initial checks, Ali, an EMT, walked in,” recalled Paramedic Michael Yohanov.
“I saw that Ali was crying and we realized we were treating his brother. It was a complex situation, but we knew we had to keep our feelings in check. We fought for Fahed’s life for a long time, both in the doctor’s office and on route to the hospital.”
When Ali and the MICU team began to evacuate Fahed to the hospital, his condition deteriorated again and again. After each shock from the defibrillator, he’d regain consciousness and then collapse again. Each time he had one request for his brother: “Look after my kids for me.”
“I was called to the doctor’s office and found my brother in critical condition,” said Ali. “I treated him with tears in my eyes. I had to keep fighting for his life to make sure my nephews wouldn’t be orphans.”
After further treatment at the hospital, Fahed made a full recovery and was discharged. “Michael and my brother are my lucky charms in life,” said Fahed. “It’s thanks to them that I’m here.”
