Good Samaritans who saved Montreal senior during cardiac arrest meet family in hospital

The family of an elderly Montreal man whose life was saved by passersby wanted desperately to connect with them to thank them for saving his life.

READ: Family seeks passerby who saved Montreal senior

CityNews has learned that meeting between those Good Samaritans and the man’s family has indeed happened – at the Sacré-Cœur Hospital.

“When I heard that they had found them, I can’t even begin to tell you, it was just like, I felt so weak in the knees, so excited about the same time as like, oh my gosh, you know, it took my breath away,” described Borelli’s daughter, Gloria Borrelli.

Sabato Borrelli, 87, was out on his daily walk, on May 15, when he went into cardiac arrest. Passersby jumped into action and began CPR immediately, keeping Borrelli alive for nearly 20 minutes until paramedics arrived.

Doctors told his family that’s why he survived.

“I am happy that my husband is well now,” said the man’s wife Francesca Borrelli. “I thank all those people who saved him, I thank everyone on the friends, everybody come see my husband. They came to see him, now he is well. He still has to stay two or three days to see how his heart is doing because his heart is still not too good.

“Thank you everyone, everyone, everyone, everyone.”

One of those Good Samaritans was Mikhaël Estérez, the founder of a cybersecurity company. He says what happened that day was a group effort.

“I’m just relieved we were all able to assist and give their family more time together,” Estérez told CityNews in an email.

“Never hesitate to help when someone is in need. It’s also incredibly valuable for everyone to learn CPR and to get out of the way for ambulances and other emergency vehicles. And of course, a huge thank you goes out to all the first responders and emergency personnel who do such vital work.”

Still recovering in hospital, Borrelli – who turned 87 at Sacré-Cœur – is breathing on his own and beginning to regain awareness, though he’s still somewhat disoriented from medication.

“Every day he’s getting better and better and better, and yesterday I was like, he’s back, dad’s back!” said Gloria Borrelli.

She added: “Hopefully he’ll be coming home, like really soon. I would think three or four days, so I’m hoping maybe this weekend.”