Gil and his wife Dana, who live in the Sharon area, did not imagine that the holidays would be “celebrated” between life and death. On Rosh Hashanah, Dana suffered a severe heart attack and collapsed in her home. Gil, her husband, who only a month earlier took the CPR course at Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical services, saved her life. Thanks to the tools he acquired and together with the MDA team, he managed to get her pulse back. She has since been released from the hospital.

Gil and Dana, a couple from the Sharon area in their 40s, experienced an incident during Rosh Hashanah that almost ended in a terrible tragedy.

Dana partook in a variety of events leading up to Rosh Hashana, but not the MDA resuscitation course, in which Gil participated as part of the AllRide Mountain Bike Club of which he is a member and prayed that he would never have to use the tools he acquired.

During Rosh Hashanah, Dana felt pain in her chest, had difficulty breathing and collapsed. Gil found her on the floor in the shower barely conscious. Without hesitation, Gil called MDA’s 101 Emergency Call Center and reported her condition and requested an ambulance.

Gil recalled the first moments: “As soon as I realized something was wrong, I called MDA for help and explained to them what had happened. Her whole body was rigid and she did not respond, and then suddenly she was not with me. I immediately remembered the resuscitation course and started chest compressions. I functioned like a robot, I did not have time to think and process what was happening.”

On the continuation of the treatment, he added: “After a few minutes, the MDA team arrived and continued the treatment. They completely took over, gave her electric shocks and medication and continued the compressions until her heart was beating again. I was afraid she would never get out of it alive. I was panicking but thankfully the story is behind us. She had a heart attack, was not breathing and was sedated in an unknown condition… and today she is at home! It’s a miracle. We are still in the rehabilitation process, and there is more work to be done, but the situation has improved miraculously.”

Regarding his training from MDA he said: “I am a huge supporter of the course and encourage all of my friends and family to undergo the training. I knew that the course was important even before this happened. I would like to thank the MDA staff and the paramedic at the 101 Emergency Call Center who gave me instructions, Paramedic Ahmad Abo Shah and his team, and the hospital staff from the bottom of my heart for fighting for her life. They are angels.”

MDA paramedic Ahmad Abo Shah said: “When we arrived at the house, we continued the resuscitation efforts that Gil had started and for about fifteen minutes we treated Dana with electric shocks, medications, compressions and ventilation. We managed after what felt like a long time to restore her pulse and continued with the critical medical treatment on the way to the hospital. I visited her afterwards in the hospital and could not believe she was recovering so quickly. When I was told she was in good condition I had chills and tears welled up. From having been in the balance between life and death she came out standing on her feet. It’s amazing and it gives me the drive to continue saving lives at work. When I got to her house and saw the kids downstairs waiting in fear – I knew I had to help them and save their Mom. Thank G-D she came home safe and sound.”