An NYU Langone pain management specialist was among three good Samaritans who helped save the life of a Long Island man after he collapsed at an Orlando airport.
Jason Kreiner, MD, was returning from a family vacation in April when he saw two Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officers, Jason Papa and Sgt. David Bergstein, administering aid to fellow passenger Scott Williams, who tells Newsday, “I just went down.…My cardiologist told me that’s when my heart just stopped.”
The MTA officers began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and requested an automatic external defibrillator. Dr. Kreiner offered his assistance and continued chest compressions as the others applied the pads to prepare to defibrillate Williams.
“I never would have expected to do anything like this outside of a hospital,” Dr. Kreiner tells Newsday. “Fortunately, we were surrounded by well-trained officers, and we worked together. And we were able to have, obviously, a successful outcome.”
Williams regained consciousness, and paramedics took him to a local hospital.
“When I came to, the paramedics that were there told me that if it wasn’t for these three, I wouldn’t have made it,” Williams says.
Dr. Kreiner, the two officers, and Williams—all Long Islanders—recently reunited at Long Island Rail Road’s Ronkonkoma station where Williams was able to thank his heroes.
