To celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary, Michael and Etti Lahav, both in their 70s, went on a 10-day cruise along the Danube River. When they were at the airport in Munich, Germany, to return to Israel, one of their fellow participants, Yaakov Pragmanikov, 76, collapsed.
Pragmanikov had suffered cardiac arrest right next to the two people on the tour who were able to help him the most. The Lahavs both volunteer with Magen David Adom as EMTs.
Etti and Michael sprang into action, finding that their friend had no pulse and was not breathing. Working together, the Lahavs began chest compressions and asked their guide to call an ambulance. They obtained the airportโs defibrillator and administered two shocks. When the ambulance arrived several minutes later, Pragmanikov had a stable heart rate. He was hospitalized for nine days in Munich and then returned to Israel to continue his rehabilitation.
โDuring the trip, everything felt normal,โ said Pragmanikov who is now fully recovered. โI have no words to thank Michael and Etti. They were like emissaries who came to help me and their quick response saved my life.โ
โSometimes our mission to save lives catches us in the most unexpected places,โ said the Lahavs. โWe are glad that we had the privilege of being in the right place at the right time to save Yaakov. It was a very enjoyable trip, but there is nothing more satisfying than saving lives.โ
The Lahavs added, โit’s important for us to send the message that everyone needs to know how to perform CPR. You never know when and where this knowledge will be useful.โ
Watch an interview with Michael and Etti Lahav and Yaacov Pragmanikov:
