An 80-year-old British tourist who suffered cardiac arrest in a hotel in Cyprus last Friday morning was saved thanks to the quick response of a United Hatzalah volunteer who happened to be staying in the same hotel, the Casale Hanayiotis in the small village of Kalopanayiotis.
Rachel Weintraub Yedan, a volunteer EMT and resident of Afula on vacation in Cyprus heard calls for help coming from the dining room, and rushed to the source of the distress to discover an unconscious 80-year-old woman who wasn’t breathing and had no pulse.
Acting swiftly, Rachel teamed up with another guest to lay the woman down and initiate CPR. With the arrival of the hotel’s defibrillator, Rachel attached it to the woman and delivered two shocks to her chest.
After the second shock, the woman regained consciousness and began breathing again. A local ambulance service arrived at the scene a few minutes later and transported the woman to a nearby hospital, where she was kept under observation.
Rachel later related, “I was calmly reading a book on my vacation when I heard the cries for help, and without hesitation ran to assist. The transition between the two situations was unusual and yet felt natural. The defibrillator’s voice prompts were in Greek, which added a stressful element to the situation, but I’m grateful that we were able to revive her.”
Before Rachel’s departure, the hotel staff left a thank-you note, a fruit platter, and a bottle of wine in her room to express their gratitude for helping them maintain the guest roster.
