MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A Miami-Dade cycling fanatic is lucky to be alive after he went into cardiac arrest while biking earlier this month.
Vladimir Ruiz, 41, was with his biking club at Amelia Earhart Park on June 6 when he collapsed unconscious on top of his bike.
Members of the Amelia Hooligans biking club called 911 for help where police compliant officer Beatriz Perez guided them through resuscition protocols before help arrived.
Miami-Dade officers Jose Martinez and Miguez Siverio were patrolling the park and jumped in with lifesaving measures. The two were able to regain a pulse and keep Ruiz alive long enough to be taken to the hospital.
"They did resuscitation at the park for 14 to 15 minutes." says Ruiz's cousin, Annette Arroyo Velez. "It was hard to watch in video afterwards. That was rough."
Monday, Ruiz underwent a 7-and-a-half-hour quintuple bypass surgery and was able to walk on Wednesday.
The Miami-Dade Police Department will honor Perez, Martinez and Siverio in a ceremony Thursday to show their appreciation for the officers' heroic efforts.
"Thank you. I’m eternally grateful to them. Very much so." said Velez.