Florida Deputies Save Life Of Tourist Who Went Into Cardiac Arrest On Beach

Two Florida deputies are being hailed as heroes after they helped save a vacationer from Indiana who experienced a heart attack on the beach last month.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies David Goff and Francisco Generale responded to a medical emergency call on Fort Myers Beach on March 18. The agency shared video of the rescue over the weekend.

“We got a medical call for an adult male on the beach near Margaritaville and were told CPR was already in progress,” Generale said. “Two off-duty Collier County firefighters had begun chest compressions. Deputy Goff utilized an AED [Automated External Defibrillator] to shock the man, and I relieved the firefighter by taking over the CPR.”

Generale said he performed chest compressions for several minutes before the Indiana man grabbed his hand and began breathing on his own.

“Whenever youre doing chest compressions on a real victim rather than the mannequins we train with, its so different,” Generale said. “It was my second time saving someone. In 2018, we had a guy who overdosed on fentanyl and we gave him CPR for 30 to 45 minutes before he was revived. I saw him on the streets a few weeks later and he was so thankful.”

Goff used the AED three times to shock the patient’s heart between chest compressions.

“I just relied on the great training Ive received at LCSO and my experience to make the best of a controlled-chaos situation,” he said. “In the moment, you dont feel like a hero or anything – youre just doing your job and trying your best to save someone.”

The pair of deputies juggled multiple needs even while prioritizing giving first aid to the patient.

“Youre getting someone to help locate Lee County EMS as they arrive, communicating with the family, and doing crowd control to keep people from getting too close,” Generale said.

The patient, who experienced cardiac arrest, was transported to a hospital. He has since made a full recovery and returned home to Indiana, the sheriff’s office said.

Goff and Generale were honored by the Town of Fort Myers with Pre-Hospital Save Commendations for their lifesaving efforts.

“As deputies, we often see people on their worst days,” Goff said. “It can be that theyve done something bad, or committed a violent offense, or things like that. But if we have one call per year like this one that ends with saving a life it makes up for all of the others.”