Eagles football fan Gregory Fulgione was reunited with the first responders who helped to save his life after he collapsed last fall at Alumni Stadium at a recent special event in the Heights Room. The first responders—members of Boston College EMS, Boston College Police, TeamOps, and Armstrong Ambulance—also were recognized at the event by St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, where Fulgione was successfully treated.
Fulgione, a father of an alumna and a football season ticket holder since 1982, went into cardiac arrest at the start of the BC-Virginia Tech game on October 31. He was initially aided by a family friend and members of TeamOps, the outside organization that provides security and guest relations for BC Athletics event.
The first EMTs on the scene were Nicholas Favazza ’18, Rachel French ’17 and Andrew Bourque ’18, members of BC EMS. Favazza used an AED (automated external defibrillator) on Fulgione.
“It was the first time I used an AED on a real person,” said Favazza, who has been with BC EMS since the spring of 2015. Bourque, who was on his first-ever shift for BC EMS, assisted Armstrong Ambulance personnel with the bag valve by setting up the oxygen tank.
St. Elizabeth’s Chief of Emergency Services Dr. Mark Pearlmutter, who treated Fulgione at the hospital, spoke at the March 23 recognition event. He praised all the first responders saying that “every link in the chain of survival played a role. Each link is essential and the skills and coordination of each of those links and transition of care demonstrates the importance of the pre-hospital team that’s assembled here today.
“It begins with increased community awareness and education. The BC community is a stellar example of this. The first responders to Mr. Fulgione played an integral part in his being able to join us today.
“It’s a wonderful success story. It’s a culmination of efforts that started well before he got to the hospital. This expertise in the field gives those of us on the receiving end the ability to further conduct intervention to enhance a patient’s ability to survive. Mr. Fulgione is a testament of those efforts.”
St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center presented a silver bowl to each member of BC Police, BC EMS, TeamOps and Armstrong Ambulance involved with the save of Fulgione.
“We do a lot of training to make sure, when the call comes in, we’re here,” said EMT Richard Raymond, CEO of Armstrong Ambulance. “Before each game, we work with BC EMS and BC Police to go over the ‘what ifs.’”
After treatment in the hospital and a rehabilitation facility, Fulgione was able to return home in December in time to celebrate his 86th birthday.
Fulgione attended the reunion event with his wife of more than 60 years, Eleanor, his three children and son-in-law, and the family friend who was the first person to start CPR on Fulgione.
“[This event] has presented me with a golden opportunity to meet you and thank you,” Fulgione said to the first responders in attendance.
According to BC EMS President Kevin Zirko ‘16, this was the first cardiac arrest save for BC EMS since it was established in 1997. A student-run organization, BC EMS provides emergency response coverage at more than 400 events per academic year. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association honored Zirko, French, Bourque and Favazza for their life-saving work at the 2016 National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation conference in Philadelphia.
Fulgione’s daughter, Lynne Garcia ’86, said her father is looking forward to next football season and is “doing better than ever.”
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The following members of the Boston College community were recognized for their life-saving efforts:
Boston College Police Department: Lieutenant Jeffrey Postell; Lieutenant Thomas King; Lieutenant Laurene Spiess; Staff Sergeant Kevin Croke; Officer Keith Holland; Officer David LoConte; Officer Anthony Cadogan; Officer Timothy O'Meara; Officer Kimberley Sirr; Detective Brian DeMayo; Detective Robert Connor; Dispatcher Adam Morrell and Dispatcher Michael Jones.
Emergency Preparedness & Management: John Tommaney and Eileen O'Donnell
Facilities: Daniel Murphy
Boston College EMS: Andrew Bourque; Nicholas Favazza; Rachel French; Kevin Zirko and John Fucigna.
--Kathleen Sullivan | News & Public Affairs