Quick Action by Good Samaritans Saves Woman’s Life

When Andrea D’Amore-Braver went into cardiac arrest at a Royal Oak restaurant in April, she didn’t know who could save her. But then two men, Ben Burrows and E.J Swanson performed CPR, a procedure that saved her life.

D’Amore-Braver got a chance to thank the two men this week as they were honored by the Royal Oak Fire Department that presented them with the Life Saving Award on Monday, reports the Oakland Press.

“How do you pay someone back for saving your life? The answer is you can never pay them back for that, as life is priceless. All you can do is thank them from the bottom of your heart … and then pay it forward, which is what I fully intend to do,” D’Amore-B tells the Oakland Press.

When emergency personnel arrived on the scene, D’Amore-Braver not breathing and she was unreceptive, according the Oakland Press reports.

Lt. Brian Gothard was one of the first personnel to arrive at the Bigalora Wood Fired Restaurant April 4.

Burrows continued chest compressions while Gothard hooked her to the equipment and the teamwork saved her life, Gothard said, adding, “the moons lined up that night for Andrea and that is why she is here,” according to the Oakland Press.

D’Amore-Braver said she and her family are grateful to Burrows and Swanson for giving her a second chance at life. Because they acted so quickly before paramedics arrived, she won’t suffer brain damage, she said.

D’Amore-Braver has since been able to see her sons reach important milestones, like graduating from college and getting a driver’s license.

“Call it luck, divine intervention or the inherent goodness of people or all three,” she told the newspaper. “The fact remains that without these two heroes, I would not be before you. … That is something I will never forget, nor should they.”