JFK Airport New York
Photo: AFP
Israeli doctors on rescue mission in NY
Drama at JFK Airport: Israeli medical team saves American Jew who goes into cardiac arrest. Onlookers cheer as patient regains consciousness
An American patient in cardiac arrest, an Israeli medical team and New York’s crowded JFK Airport all served as the backdrop for a harrowing medical drama Tuesday, commencing with frantic cries of ‘is there a doctor in the house?’
Dr. Reuven Bromiker of the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem and ER nurse Julie Benbenishti of the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem were on their way to a medical rescue mission in the United States, aimed at returning a seven-year-old girl severely injured in a car accident in NY home to Israel. Little did the two know that their rescue efforts would begin a lot sooner than anticipated.
As their flight landed, the doctors and nurse stood in line at passport control, their medical equipment—including a respirator, hear monitor and defibrillator all in tow. Just as their passports were being stamped, frantic cries of ‘is anyone here a doctor’ sounded through the terminal.
A fellow passenger, an American Jew, who was on the flight from Israel with Bromiker and Benbenishti, had collapsed in front of his wife and daughter and had gone into cardiac arrest.
The Israeli doctor and nurse immediately sprung into action. They dropped their passports, ran up to the American, and began to resuscitate him with chest compression, cardiac massage, and defibrillation aided by a fellow Israeli doctor as well as a New York medic.
After several gut-wrenching minutes, the patient regained both his pulse and consciousness. The crowd gathered in the terminal burst into cheers and applause, congratulating the Israeli team. Paramedics then transferred the patient to a local New York hospital.
“We were lucky to have all of our medical equipment with us,” said Dr. Bromiker. “The other Israeli doctor also helped me a lot with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
"The defibrillation is what ultimately saved the patient, because were restored circulation quickly and his brain wasn’t deprived of oxygen for very long. This was a unique coincidence, saving one life while en route to save another. It was definitely a great feeling.”
