Groom's Father Collapses at Wedding, Revived by Guests and Medics

A dramatic incident unfolded at a wedding hall in the Shfela region on Thursday evening when the groom's father collapsed during the celebration. Quick action by guests, who initiated CPR using a readily available defibrillator and followed instructions from Magen David Adom's (MDA) emergency dispatch center, combined with advanced resuscitation efforts by arriving MDA teams, successfully saved the man's life.

The event occurred around 6:22 PM when MDA's 101 emergency hotline received a report of a man, approximately 60 years old, who had collapsed at his son's wedding. MDA paramedic Iyas Azbaraga and paramedic Shoval Ramaz immediately began providing telephone guidance to those present. MDA systems identified a defibrillator at the venue, and bystanders were instructed to use it.

Guests administered CPR and delivered three electric shocks using the defibrillator until MDA emergency medical services arrived. MDA EMTs and paramedics, including Eden Sinai and Meir Avivi from the motorcycle unit, and paramedics Moran Ben David and Chen Vermus, director of the MDA Paramedic School, continued advanced resuscitation efforts. These included further electric shocks, administering resuscitation medications, and life-saving medical treatment.

After extensive efforts, the man's pulse was restored, and he regained consciousness. His condition stabilized, and he was transported directly to the catheterization lab at Kaplan Hospital in stable condition. The MDA team expressed their emotion at saving a life and enabling the father to return to his family on such a significant day.

Magen David Adom urged the public to familiarize themselves with the locations of public defibrillators and to act quickly in cases of collapse by calling 101 and following dispatcher instructions.