A West Vancouver Police officer is sharing a story of his near-fatal cardiac arrest and how quick-thinking first responders and medical staff saved his life.
Exactly one year ago, Constable Jeff Palmer, who was the media spokesperson for the West Vancouver Police, was riding in the Cops for Cancer fundraiser, when he suffered the first of three cardiac arrests that day.
Paramedics volunteering for the event responded immediately and got him to Royal Columbian Hospital, where the cardiac catheterization lab was able to treat him, without the need for open heart surgery.
Palmer says as an officer, he never expected to be so helpless while facing such a personal life-and-death situation.
“To know that you are that person and somebody’s skill and being in the right place is the reason that you have a chance to keep spending time with your family, it’s just amazing,” said Palmer.
On the one year anniversary of his near fatal cardiac arrest, Palmer returned to Royal Columbian to share his story and thank the first responders that saved his life.
“I can’t begin to express how grateful I am,” he said. “I’ve had 365 days of being with my family, being with my loved ones, being with people that I enjoy working within the community.”
He’s also hoping to bring attention to the fundraising efforts by the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation to fully upgrade the cardiac catheterization lab he was rushed to one year ago.
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