Drama unfolded Thursday evening at a wedding held at an event venue in Israel’s Shefelah region, when the groom’s father, a man in his 60s, suddenly collapsed during the celebrations and required prolonged resuscitation.
Guests immediately began performing CPR. At the same time, Magen David Adom (MDA) dispatchers identified in their system that a defibrillator was available at the venue and instructed those present to use it.
The guests began resuscitation efforts and delivered three electric shocks to the man before MDA teams arrived.
Upon arrival, the medics and paramedics continued advanced resuscitation, including the administration of medication and an additional electric shock. After prolonged efforts, the man’s heart began beating again, and he regained consciousness.
Once his condition had stabilized, the father was taken directly to the catheterization unit at Kaplan Medical Center in stable condition.
Emergency medical technicians Eden Sinai and Meir Avivi, along with paramedics Moran Ben David and Chen Vermus, described the dramatic moments.
“We arrived at the event venue and immediately realized that we were dealing with a complex emergency, as the groom’s father had collapsed during the wedding. Those present acted quickly and began CPR, using a defibrillator available at the hall after receiving instructions from MDA’s 101 emergency dispatch center," they said.
They added: “We continued with prolonged, advanced resuscitation efforts, including an electric shock, resuscitation medication and life-saving medical treatment. After considerable efforts, we managed to restore his pulse, and he regained consciousness."
The teams added: “This is an especially moving moment. Our goal is to save lives, and in this case, also to enable a father to return to his family after such a dramatic incident on his son’s joyous day."
MDA emphasized the importance of making defibrillators readily available in public places and urged the public to familiarize themselves with their locations and immediately call the emergency hotline if someone collapses.