LB Cyclist Suffers Heart Attack, Saved by Newport Beach Police Using Defibrillator

A cyclist sustained a heart attack Oct. 26 while biking through Newport Beach when Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) officers used an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on him, saving his life. Now, he is suggesting Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) cars to have the same units in their patrol cars.

The man, Miguel Romero, 48, was going on a morning bike ride with his friends when he noticed a fellow cyclist was experiencing muscle cramps and could not continue. Romero parted ways with his friends so he could head back to Long Beach to get his car to pick him up.

It was around this time Romero had experienced heart pains that he dismissed as heartburn.

Romero, who had a heart attack four weeks ago, got off his bike and called his wife, Lisa, to pick him up. He then blacked out and fell to the ground when a bystander, Shawn Malone, rushed to his side and performed CPR.  Malone flagged down two members of NBPD, Officers Furnari and Streik to access the situation. It was then Officer Furnari administered the defibrillator.

He was then transported to Hoag Hospital where he was told there was a blockage in his artery. Once the clogged artery was cleared a stent was placed. After, Romero sustained another heart attack and hospital staff administered another shock. The same procedure was repeated on another artery.

“I give glory to God because he did not take anything away from me,” said Romero.

Romero said that he is blessed to only miss work for 4-6 weeks. He is a mechanic that operates on boats in Shoreline Village and Alamitos Bay.

His wife is a teacher at California State University, Long Beach and they have three children.

The Long Beach Police Department does not currently carry AED units in their patrol vehicles. There are no plans in place to implement the units at the moment, according to a spokesperson.

Cal State Long Beach University Police Department has defibrillators in every patrol vehicle.

patrick@beachcomber.news